AQN vs CLNE vs RUN vs BEP vs NEE

For growth investors, Sunrun Inc.

(RUN) is the stronger pick with 45. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 2. 2% for Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (CLNE). Sunrun Inc. (RUN) offers the better valuation at 8. 5x trailing P/E (15. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (CLNE) a "Buy" — based on 22 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.

On trailing P/E, Sunrun Inc.

(RUN) is the cheapest at 8. 5x versus NextEra Energy, Inc. at 28. 3x. On forward P/E, Sunrun Inc. is actually cheaper at 15. 3x.

Over the past 5 years, NextEra Energy, Inc.

(NEE) delivered a total return of +37. 4%, compared to -74. 8% for Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (CLNE). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NEE returned +265. 3% versus CLNE's -30. 1%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), NextEra Energy, Inc.

(NEE) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 19β versus Sunrun Inc. 's 2. 81β — meaning RUN is approximately 1398% more volatile than NEE relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (CLNE) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 18% versus 3% for Sunrun Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Sunrun Inc.

(RUN) is pulling ahead at 45. 1% versus 2. 2% for Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (CLNE). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Sunrun Inc. grew EPS 113. 3% year-over-year, compared to -173. 0% for Clean Energy Fuels Corp.. Over a 3-year CAGR, BEP leads at 11. 4% 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.

NextEra Energy, Inc.

(NEE) is the more profitable company, earning 24. 9% net margin versus -52. 3% for Clean Energy Fuels Corp. — meaning it keeps 24. 9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NEE leads at 30. 1% versus -22. 1% for CLNE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NEE leads at 62. 8%, 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.

On forward earnings alone, Sunrun Inc.

(RUN) trades at 15. 3x forward P/E versus 23. 0x for NextEra Energy, Inc. — 7. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CLNE: 58. 4% to $3. 50.

In this comparison, BEP (11.

9% yield), AQN (4. 4% yield), NEE (2. 4% yield) pay a dividend. CLNE, RUN do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, NextEra Energy, Inc.

(NEE) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 19), 2. 4% yield, +265. 3% 10Y return). Sunrun Inc. (RUN) carries a higher beta of 2. 81 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (NEE: +265. 3%, RUN: +97. 7%), 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (AQN (Utilities) and CLNE (Energy) and RUN (Energy) and BEP (Utilities) and NEE (Utilities)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: AQN is a small-cap income-oriented stock; CLNE is a small-cap quality compounder stock; RUN is a small-cap high-growth stock; BEP is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; NEE is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. AQN, BEP, NEE pay a dividend while CLNE, RUN do not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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.