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CE vs TROX
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Chemicals
CE vs TROX — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Chemicals | Chemicals |
| Market Cap | $6.95B | $1.62B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $9.49B | $2.90B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $-1.02B | $-470M |
| Gross Margin | 20.1% | 9.3% |
| Operating Margin | -7.4% | -6.0% |
| Forward P/E | 11.1x | — |
| Total Debt | $12.93B | $3.59B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $1.26B | $211M |
CE vs TROX — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Celanese Corporation (CE) | 100 | 69.1 | -30.9% |
| Tronox Holdings plc (TROX) | 100 | 152.6 | +52.6% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: CE vs TROX
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
CE carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and growth exposure.
- Dividend streak 0 yrs, beta 1.11, yield 0.2%
- Rev growth -7.2%, EPS growth 23.6%, 3Y rev CAGR -0.4%
- Lower volatility, beta 1.11, current ratio 1.55x
TROX is the clearest fit if your priority is long-term compounding and defensive.
- 104.7% 10Y total return vs CE's 16.9%
- Beta 2.37, yield 3.0%, current ratio 2.46x
- -5.7% revenue growth vs CE's -7.2%
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | -5.7% revenue growth vs CE's -7.2% | |
| Quality / Margins | -10.8% margin vs TROX's -16.2% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 1.11 vs TROX's 2.37 | |
| Dividends | 3.0% yield, vs CE's 0.2% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +96.0% vs CE's +26.9% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | -4.6% ROA vs TROX's -7.6%, ROIC 3.4% vs -0.3% |
CE vs TROX — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
CE vs TROX — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
CE leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
CE is the larger business by revenue, generating $9.5B annually — 3.3x TROX's $2.9B. CE is the more profitable business, keeping -10.8% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to TROX's -16.2%. On growth, TROX holds the edge at +8.0% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $9.5B | $2.9B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $58M | $128M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$1.0B | -$470M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $944M | -$281M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +20.1% | +9.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -7.4% | -6.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -10.8% | -16.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +9.9% | -9.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -2.2% | +8.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +3.1% | -4.8% |
Valuation Metrics
Evenly matched — CE and TROX each lead in 2 of 4 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, CE's 12.3x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than TROX's 17.8x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $7.0B | $1.6B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $18.6B | $5.0B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -5.84x | -3.41x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 11.12x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 12.33x | 17.78x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.73x | 0.56x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.52x | 1.11x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 8.66x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
CE leads this category, winning 6 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
CE delivers a -21.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-22 in annual profit, vs $-29 for TROX. TROX carries lower financial leverage with a 2.48x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to CE's 2.89x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), CE scores 4/9 vs TROX's 2/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -21.5% | -29.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -4.6% | -7.6% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +3.4% | -0.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +4.1% | -0.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 2 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 2.89x | 2.48x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $11.7B | $3.4B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1.3B | $211M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $12.9B | $3.6B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -0.57x | -1.42x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
TROX leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in TROX five years ago would be worth $5,214 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $4,276 for CE. Over the past 12 months, TROX leads with a +96.0% total return vs CE's +26.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors TROX at -3.5% vs CE's -14.4% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +47.5% | +138.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +26.9% | +96.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -37.3% | -10.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -57.2% | -47.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +16.9% | +104.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -14.4% | -3.5% |
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — CE and TROX each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
CE is the less volatile stock with a 1.11 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than TROX's 2.37 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. TROX currently trades 95.7% from its 52-week high vs CE's 87.9% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.11x | 2.37x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $70.70 | $10.59 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $35.13 | $2.86 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +87.9% | +95.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 62.4 | 63.8 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 2.4M | 3.1M |
Analyst Outlook
TROX leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CE as "Hold" and TROX as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 5.3% upside for CE (target: $65) vs -28.4% for TROX (target: $7). For income investors, TROX offers the higher dividend yield at 2.99% vs CE's 0.19%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $65.40 | $7.25 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 37 | 17 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.2% | +3.0% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.12 | $0.30 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% |
CE leads in 2 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). TROX leads in 2 (Total Returns, Analyst Outlook). 2 tied.
CE vs TROX: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CE or TROX a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Tronox Holdings plc (TROX) is the stronger pick with -5.
7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -7. 2% for Celanese Corporation (CE). Analysts rate Tronox Holdings plc (TROX) a "Buy" — based on 17 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 is the better long-term investment — CE or TROX?
Over the past 5 years, Tronox Holdings plc (TROX) delivered a total return of -47.
9%, compared to -57. 2% for Celanese Corporation (CE). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: TROX returned +104. 7% versus CE's +16. 9%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — CE or TROX?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Celanese Corporation (CE) is the lower-risk stock at 1.
11β versus Tronox Holdings plc's 2. 37β — meaning TROX is approximately 114% more volatile than CE relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Tronox Holdings plc (TROX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 3% for Celanese Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which is growing faster — CE or TROX?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Tronox Holdings plc (TROX) is pulling ahead at -5.
7% versus -7. 2% for Celanese Corporation (CE). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Celanese Corporation grew EPS 23. 6% year-over-year, compared to -890. 0% for Tronox Holdings plc. Over a 3-year CAGR, CE leads at -0. 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.
05Which has better profit margins — CE or TROX?
Celanese Corporation (CE) is the more profitable company, earning -12.
2% net margin versus -16. 2% for Tronox Holdings plc — meaning it keeps -12. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CE leads at 8. 0% versus -0. 7% for TROX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CE leads at 18. 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.
06Is CE or TROX more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CE: 5.
3% to $65. 40.
07Which pays a better dividend — CE or TROX?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
Tronox Holdings plc (TROX) offers the highest yield at 3. 0%, versus 0. 2% for Celanese Corporation (CE).
08Is CE or TROX better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Celanese Corporation (CE) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.
11)). Tronox Holdings plc (TROX) carries a higher beta of 2. 37 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (CE: +16. 9%, TROX: +104. 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.
09What are the main differences between CE and TROX?
Both stocks operate in the Basic Materials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
TROX pays a dividend while CE does 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.
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