Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Smart Powerr Corp. (CREG) vs Energy Vault Holdings, Inc. (NRGV) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
Add up to 10 tickers. Use presets or search to get started.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quality / Margins | NRGV | -172.6% net margin vs CREG's -36.2% |
| Stability / Safety | CREG | Beta 0.38 vs NRGV's 2.17 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | NRGV | +120.6% vs CREG's -85.3% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CREG | -2.3% ROA vs NRGV's -51.3%, ROIC -0.7% vs -90.2% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Smart Powerr Corp. is a Chinese energy recycling company that designs and operates waste-to-energy projects for industrial clients. It generates revenue primarily from waste pressure-to-energy systems (like blast furnace gas recovery), waste heat-to-energy projects for cement and steel plants, and waste gas-to-energy solutions for mining and petroleum operations. The company's competitive advantage lies in its specialized expertise in capturing and converting industrial waste streams—pressure, heat, and gas—into electricity for energy-intensive manufacturers.
Energy Vault develops gravity-based energy storage systems that use custom bricks and cranes to store and release electricity. The company makes money primarily through selling its EVx gravity storage platforms and related software solutions to utilities and large energy users. Its key advantage is proprietary gravity storage technology that offers longer duration storage—up to 24 hours—compared to lithium-ion batteries, using low-cost materials like soil and waste materials.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
NRGV leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Total Returns). CREG leads in 1 (Profitability & Efficiency). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
NRGV is the larger business by revenue, generating $84M annually — 1012.0x CREG's $82,839. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from -172.6% (NRGV) to -36.2% (CREG).
| Metric | CREGSmart Powerr Corp. | NRGVEnergy Vault Hold… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $82,839 | $84M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$3M | -$115M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$3M | -$145M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $51M | -$75M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | -30.9% | +22.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -32.9% | -139.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -36.2% | -172.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +614.8% | -89.6% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +26.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -4.1% | +11.1% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | CREGSmart Powerr Corp. | NRGVEnergy Vault Hold… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $3M | $460M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $8M | $434M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -0.64x | -3.30x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | — | 9.95x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.01x | 3.56x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 10.99x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
CREG delivers a -2.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-3 in annual profit, vs $-180 for NRGV. NRGV carries lower financial leverage with a 0.01x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to CREG's 0.05x.
| Metric | CREGSmart Powerr Corp. | NRGVEnergy Vault Hold… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -2.6% | -179.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -2.3% | -51.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -0.7% | -90.2% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -1.0% | -72.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 2 | 2 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.05x | 0.01x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $5M | -$26M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $25,341 | $27M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $5M | $1M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -2.29x | -1056.88x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in NRGV five years ago would be worth $3,109 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $127 for CREG. Over the past 12 months, NRGV leads with a +120.6% total return vs CREG's -85.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors NRGV at -3.5% vs CREG's -58.5% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CREGSmart Powerr Corp. | NRGVEnergy Vault Hold… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -14.1% | -38.7% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -85.3% | +120.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -92.8% | -10.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -98.7% | -68.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -99.7% | -68.9% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -58.5% | -3.5% |
Risk & Volatility
CREG is the less volatile stock with a 0.38 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than NRGV's 2.17 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. NRGV currently trades 47.2% from its 52-week high vs CREG's 7.9% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CREGSmart Powerr Corp. | NRGVEnergy Vault Hold… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.38x | 2.17x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $14.70 | $6.35 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $0.93 | $0.60 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +7.9% | +47.2% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 49.6 | 39.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 68K | 3.0M |
Analyst Outlook
| Metric | CREGSmart Powerr Corp. | NRGVEnergy Vault Hold… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $2.75 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | 7 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.1% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Apr 21 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smart Powerr Corp. (CREG) | 100 | 1.44 | -98.6% |
| Energy Vault Holdin… (NRGV) | 101.04 | 47.67 | -52.8% |
Energy Vault Holdin… (NRGV) returned -69% over 5 years vs Smart Powerr Corp. (CREG)'s -99%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smart Powerr Corp. (CREG) | $24M | $0.00 | -100.0% |
| Energy Vault Holdin… (NRGV) | $0.00 | $46M | — |
Smart Powerr Corp.'s revenue grew from $24M (2015) to $0M (2024) — a -100.0% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2013 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smart Powerr Corp. (CREG) | 24.7% | -10.1% | -140.9% |
| Energy Vault Holdin… (NRGV) | -53.7% | -2.9% | +94.5% |
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smart Powerr Corp. (CREG) | 221 | -1.82 | -100.8% |
| Energy Vault Holdin… (NRGV) | -8.23 | -0.91 | +88.9% |
Smart Powerr Corp.'s EPS grew from $221.00 (2015) to $-1.82 (2024) — a NaN% CAGR.
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Smart Powerr Corp. generated $0M FCF in 2024 (+117% vs 2021). Energy Vault Holdings, Inc. generated $-115M FCF in 2024 (-394% vs 2021).
CREG vs NRGV: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CREG or NRGV a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Energy Vault Holdings, Inc. (NRGV) a "Buy" — based on 7 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 — CREG or NRGV?
Over the past 5 years, Energy Vault Holdings, Inc. (NRGV) delivered a total return of -68.9%, compared to -98.7% for Smart Powerr Corp. (CREG). A $10,000 investment in NRGV five years ago would be worth approximately $3K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NRGV returned -68.9% versus CREG's -99.7%. 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 — CREG or NRGV?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Smart Powerr Corp. (CREG) is the lower-risk stock at 0.38β versus Energy Vault Holdings, Inc.'s 2.17β — meaning NRGV is approximately 474% more volatile than CREG relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Energy Vault Holdings, Inc. (NRGV) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 5% for Smart Powerr Corp. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — CREG or NRGV?
Energy Vault Holdings, Inc. (NRGV) is the more profitable company, earning -293.8% net margin versus -36.2% for Smart Powerr Corp. — meaning it keeps -293.8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NRGV leads at -281.4% versus -32.9% for CREG. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NRGV leads at 13.4%, 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.
05Which pays a better dividend — CREG or NRGV?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend. All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
06Is CREG or NRGV better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Smart Powerr Corp. (CREG) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.38)). Energy Vault Holdings, Inc. (NRGV) carries a higher beta of 2.17 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (CREG: -99.7%, NRGV: -68.9%), 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.
07What are the main differences between CREG and NRGV?
Both stocks operate in the Utilities sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. 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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.