SR
Spire Inc.
Regulated Gas
Market Cap$5.09B
5Y Perf.+18.2%
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Stock Comparison
SR vs NFG
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
NFG
National Fuel Gas Company
Oil & Gas Integrated
Market Cap$7.75B
5Y Perf.+94.2%
SR vs NFG — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | SR | NFG |
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Regulated Gas | Oil & Gas Integrated |
| Market Cap | $5.09B | $7.75B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $2.47B | $2.50B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $358M | $686M |
| Gross Margin | 73.3% | 50.0% |
| Operating Margin | 22.1% | 41.4% |
| Forward P/E | 16.6x | 10.5x |
| Total Debt | $5.24B | $2.83B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $6M | $43M |
SR vs NFG — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
SR
NFG
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spire Inc. (SR) | 100 | 118.2 | +18.2% |
| National Fuel Gas C… (NFG) | 100 | 194.2 | +94.2% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: SR vs NFG
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
Bottom line: NFG leads in 5 of 7 categories, making it the strongest pick for growth and revenue expansion and valuation and capital efficiency. Spire Inc. is the stronger pick specifically for dividend income and shareholder returns and recent price momentum and sentiment. This set spans 2 sectors — these stocks serve different portfolio roles, not just different price points.
SR
Spire Inc.
The Income Pick
SR is the clearest fit if your priority is income & stability and defensive.
- Dividend streak 12 yrs, beta 0.06, yield 3.6%
- Beta 0.06, yield 3.6%, current ratio 0.32x
- 3.6% yield, 12-year raise streak, vs NFG's 2.5%
Best for: income & stability and defensive
NFG
National Fuel Gas Company
The Growth Play
NFG carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for growth exposure and long-term compounding.
- Rev growth 17.1%, EPS growth 5.8%, 3Y rev CAGR 1.4%
- 84.3% 10Y total return vs SR's 73.8%
- Lower volatility, beta -0.08, Low D/E 91.5%, current ratio 0.44x
Best for: growth exposure and long-term compounding
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | NFG | 17.1% revenue growth vs SR's -4.5% |
| Value | NFG | Lower P/E (10.5x vs 16.6x) |
| Quality / Margins | NFG | 27.5% margin vs SR's 14.5% |
| Stability / Safety | NFG | Lower D/E ratio (91.5% vs 154.3%) |
| Dividends | SR | 3.6% yield, 12-year raise streak, vs NFG's 2.5% |
| Momentum (1Y) | SR | +16.7% vs NFG's +1.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | NFG | 7.7% ROA vs SR's 2.9%, ROIC 10.6% vs 4.7% |
SR vs NFG — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
FY 2025
FY 2025
SR vs NFG — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
BEST OVERALLNFGLAGGINGSR
SRSpire Inc.
0leads
NFGNational Fuel Gas Com…
4leads
6 Total Categories
CATEGORYLEADERvs SRMETRICS WON
Income & Cash FlowRevenue, margins, and cash flow strength
NFG4/6
Valuation MetricsMultiples, price ratios, and targets
NFG3/5
Profitability & EfficiencyROE, ROIC, leverage, and quality scores
NFG9/9
Total Returns1Y, 3Y, 5Y total returns with dividends
NFG4/6
Risk & VolatilityBeta, volatility, and downside exposure
Tied
—
Analyst OutlookRatings, price targets, and dividends
Tied
—
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
NFG leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
NFG and SR operate at a comparable scale, with $2.5B and $2.5B in trailing revenue. NFG is the more profitable business, keeping 27.5% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to SR's 14.5%. On growth, NFG holds the edge at +17.6% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | SRSpire Inc. | NFGNational Fuel Gas… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $2.5B | $2.5B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $864M | $1.5B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $358M | $686M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$2.7B | $307M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +73.3% | +50.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +22.1% | +41.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +14.5% | +27.5% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -108.1% | +12.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -9.0% | +17.6% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +31.1% | +9.3% |
NFG leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
NFG leads this category, winning 3 of 5 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 14.4x trailing earnings, NFG trades at a 27% valuation discount to SR's 19.7x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, NFG's 8.3x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than SR's 12.6x.
| Metric | SRSpire Inc. | NFGNational Fuel Gas… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $5.1B | $7.7B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $10.3B | $10.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 19.73x | 14.35x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 16.60x | 10.47x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.79x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 12.56x | 8.30x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.06x | 3.40x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.49x | 2.40x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 41.37x |
NFG leads this category, winning 3 of 5 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
NFG leads this category, winning 9 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
NFG delivers a 20.4% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $20 in annual profit, vs $10 for SR. NFG carries lower financial leverage with a 0.92x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to SR's 1.54x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), NFG scores 9/9 vs SR's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | SRSpire Inc. | NFGNational Fuel Gas… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +10.4% | +20.4% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +2.9% | +7.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +4.7% | +10.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +5.8% | +10.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 9 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.54x | 0.92x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $5.2B | $2.8B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $6M | $43M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $5.2B | $2.8B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 2.62x | 7.01x |
NFG leads this category, winning 9 of 9 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
NFG leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in NFG five years ago would be worth $17,840 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $13,210 for SR. Over the past 12 months, SR leads with a +16.7% total return vs NFG's +1.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors NFG at 17.8% vs SR's 11.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | SRSpire Inc. | NFGNational Fuel Gas… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +4.6% | -0.0% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +16.7% | +1.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +39.7% | +63.5% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +32.1% | +78.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +73.8% | +84.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +11.8% | +17.8% |
NFG leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — SR and NFG each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
NFG is the less volatile stock with a -0.08 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than SR's 0.06 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. SR currently trades 90.5% from its 52-week high vs NFG's 84.0% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | SRSpire Inc. | NFGNational Fuel Gas… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.06x | -0.08x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $95.31 | $97.06 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $69.94 | $77.22 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +90.5% | +84.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 44.7 | 27.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 338K | 756K |
Evenly matched — SR and NFG each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Evenly matched — SR and NFG each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates SR as "Buy" and NFG as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 23.9% upside for NFG (target: $101) vs 12.5% for SR (target: $97). For income investors, SR offers the higher dividend yield at 3.60% vs NFG's 2.53%.
| Metric | SRSpire Inc. | NFGNational Fuel Gas… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $97.00 | $101.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 15 | 18 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +3.6% | +2.5% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 12 | 31 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $3.10 | $2.07 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.8% |
Evenly matched — SR and NFG each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Key Takeaway
NFG leads in 4 of 6 categories — strongest in Income & Cash Flow and Valuation Metrics. 2 categories are tied.
Best OverallNational Fuel Gas Company (NFG)Leads 4 of 6 categories
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SR vs NFG: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is SR or NFG a better buy right now?
For growth investors, National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) is the stronger pick with 17.
1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -4. 5% for Spire Inc. (SR). National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) offers the better valuation at 14. 4x trailing P/E (10. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Spire Inc. (SR) a "Buy" — based on 15 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — SR or NFG?
On trailing P/E, National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) is the cheapest at 14.
4x versus Spire Inc. at 19. 7x. On forward P/E, National Fuel Gas Company is actually cheaper at 10. 5x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — SR or NFG?
Over the past 5 years, National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) delivered a total return of +78.
4%, compared to +32. 1% for Spire Inc. (SR). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NFG returned +84. 3% versus SR's +73. 8%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — SR or NFG?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) is the lower-risk stock at -0.
08β versus Spire Inc. 's 0. 06β — meaning SR is approximately -177% more volatile than NFG relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 92% versus 154% for Spire Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — SR or NFG?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) is pulling ahead at 17.
1% versus -4. 5% for Spire Inc. (SR). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: National Fuel Gas Company grew EPS 576. 2% year-over-year, compared to 4. 3% for Spire Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, SR leads at 4. 0% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.
06Which has better profit margins — SR or NFG?
National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) is the more profitable company, earning 22.
8% net margin versus 11. 0% for Spire Inc. — meaning it keeps 22. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NFG leads at 35. 7% versus 21. 2% for SR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SR leads at 78. 1%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
07Is SR or NFG more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) trades at 10.
5x forward P/E versus 16. 6x for Spire Inc. — 6. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for NFG: 23. 9% to $101. 00.
08Which pays a better dividend — SR or NFG?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
Spire Inc. (SR) offers the highest yield at 3. 6%, versus 2. 5% for National Fuel Gas Company (NFG).
09Is SR or NFG better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0.
08), 2. 5% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (NFG: +84. 3%, SR: +73. 8%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
10What are the main differences between SR and NFG?
These companies operate in different sectors (SR (Utilities) and NFG (Energy)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.
In terms of investment character: SR is a small-cap income-oriented stock; NFG is a small-cap high-growth stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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Revenue Growth>
%
(SR: -9.0% · NFG: 17.6%)Net Margin>
%
(SR: 14.5% · NFG: 27.5%)P/E Ratio<
x
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