CNEY vs GPRE vs REX vs ALTO vs AMTX

For growth investors, Alto Ingredients, Inc.

(ALTO) is the stronger pick with -4. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -30. 2% for CN Energy Group. Inc. (CNEY). Alto Ingredients, Inc. (ALTO) offers the better valuation at 28. 4x trailing P/E (15. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Green Plains Inc. (GPRE) a "Buy" — based on 20 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, Alto Ingredients, Inc.

(ALTO) is the cheapest at 28. 4x versus REX American Resources Corporation at 29. 5x. On forward P/E, Alto Ingredients, Inc. is actually cheaper at 15. 4x.

Over the past 5 years, REX American Resources Corporation (REX) delivered a total return of +250.

0%, compared to -99. 5% for CN Energy Group. Inc. (CNEY). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: REX returned +464. 7% versus CNEY's -99. 6%. 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), Alto Ingredients, Inc.

(ALTO) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 30β versus Aemetis, Inc. 's 1. 46β — meaning AMTX is approximately 380% more volatile than ALTO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, REX American Resources Corporation (REX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 66% for Green Plains Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Alto Ingredients, Inc.

(ALTO) is pulling ahead at -4. 9% versus -30. 2% for CN Energy Group. Inc. (CNEY). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Alto Ingredients, Inc. grew EPS 119. 5% year-over-year, compared to -39. 5% for Green Plains Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, CNEY 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.

REX American Resources Corporation (REX) is the more profitable company, earning 9.

1% net margin versus -37. 0% for Aemetis, Inc. — meaning it keeps 9. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: REX leads at 10. 0% versus -30. 9% for CNEY. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — REX leads at 14. 2%, 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, Alto Ingredients, Inc.

(ALTO) trades at 15. 4x forward P/E versus 62. 8x for REX American Resources Corporation — 47. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for REX: 23. 3% to $60. 00.

In this comparison, ALTO (0.

4% yield) pays a dividend. CNEY, GPRE, REX, AMTX do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

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

36), +464. 7% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (REX: +464. 7%, AMTX: +31. 1%), 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 (CNEY (Basic Materials) and GPRE (Basic Materials) and REX (Basic Materials) and ALTO (Basic Materials) and AMTX (Energy)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

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.