CENX vs AA

For growth investors, Alcoa Corporation (AA) is the stronger pick with 4.

5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 1. 6% for Century Aluminum Company (CENX). Alcoa Corporation (AA) offers the better valuation at 14. 2x trailing P/E (9. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Alcoa Corporation (AA) a "Buy" — based on 42 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, Alcoa Corporation (AA) is the cheapest at 14.

2x versus Century Aluminum Company at 18. 9x. On forward P/E, Century Aluminum Company is actually cheaper at 6. 0x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Century Aluminum Company (CENX) delivered a total return of +261.

3%, compared to +59. 8% for Alcoa Corporation (AA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CENX returned +732. 6% versus AA's +188. 5%. 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), Century Aluminum Company (CENX) is the lower-risk stock at 1.

74β versus Alcoa Corporation's 1. 77β — meaning AA is approximately 2% more volatile than CENX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Alcoa Corporation (AA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 0% versus 78% for Century Aluminum Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Alcoa Corporation (AA) is pulling ahead at 4.

5% versus 1. 6% for Century Aluminum Company (CENX). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Alcoa Corporation grew EPS 1486% year-over-year, compared to 800. 0% for Century Aluminum Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, CENX leads at 0. 1% 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.

Century Aluminum Company (CENX) is the more profitable company, earning 15.

2% net margin versus 9. 0% for Alcoa Corporation — meaning it keeps 15. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AA leads at 7. 6% versus 5. 5% for CENX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AA leads at 13. 6%, 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, Century Aluminum Company (CENX) trades at 6.

0x forward P/E versus 9. 0x for Alcoa Corporation — 3. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CENX: 22. 0% to $76. 00.

In this comparison, AA (0.

6% yield) pays a dividend. CENX does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Alcoa Corporation (AA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (0.

6% yield, +188. 5% 10Y return). Century Aluminum Company (CENX) carries a higher beta of 1. 74 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (AA: +188. 5%, CENX: +732. 6%), 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.

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.

In terms of investment character: CENX is a small-cap quality compounder stock; AA is a mid-cap deep-value stock. AA pays a dividend while CENX 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.