CENX vs FCX

For growth investors, Century Aluminum Company (CENX) is the stronger pick with 1.

6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 1. 1% for Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (FCX). Century Aluminum Company (CENX) offers the better valuation at 19. 0x trailing P/E (6. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (FCX) a "Buy" — based on 41 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, Century Aluminum Company (CENX) is the cheapest at 19.

0x versus Freeport-McMoRan Inc. at 40. 1x. On forward P/E, Century Aluminum Company is actually cheaper at 6. 0x.

Over the past 5 years, Century Aluminum Company (CENX) delivered a total return of +311.

0%, compared to +51. 5% for Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (FCX). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CENX returned +718. 6% versus FCX's +444. 7%. 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 Freeport-McMoRan Inc. 's 1. 79β — meaning FCX is approximately 3% more volatile than CENX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (FCX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 37% versus 78% for Century Aluminum Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Century Aluminum Company (CENX) is pulling ahead at 1.

6% versus 1. 1% for Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (FCX). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Century Aluminum Company grew EPS 800. 0% year-over-year, compared to 16. 9% for Freeport-McMoRan Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, FCX leads at 3. 3% 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 8. 6% for Freeport-McMoRan Inc. — meaning it keeps 15. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: FCX leads at 24. 4% versus 5. 5% for CENX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — FCX leads at 27. 0%, 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 22. 5x for Freeport-McMoRan Inc. — 16. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CENX: 21. 4% to $76. 00.

In this comparison, FCX (1.

0% yield) pays a dividend. CENX does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Freeport-McMoRan Inc.

(FCX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (1. 0% yield, +444. 7% 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 (FCX: +444. 7%, CENX: +718. 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.

FCX 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.