FCEL vs CLNE vs PLUG vs BE vs RUN

For growth investors, Sunrun Inc.

(RUN) is the stronger pick with 45. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 2. 2% for Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (CLNE). Sunrun Inc. (RUN) offers the better valuation at 8. 1x trailing P/E (22. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (CLNE) a "Buy" — based on 22 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 forward P/E, Sunrun Inc.

is actually cheaper at 22. 8x.

Over the past 5 years, Bloom Energy Corporation (BE) delivered a total return of +1013%, compared to -95.

0% for FuelCell Energy, Inc. (FCEL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BE returned +934. 6% versus FCEL's -99. 4%. 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), Clean Energy Fuels Corp.

(CLNE) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 19β versus Bloom Energy Corporation's 3. 61β — meaning BE is approximately 203% more volatile than CLNE relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (CLNE) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 18% versus 20% for Plug Power Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Sunrun Inc.

(RUN) is pulling ahead at 45. 1% versus 2. 2% for Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (CLNE). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Sunrun Inc. grew EPS 113. 3% year-over-year, compared to -1414. 3% for FuelCell Energy, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, BE leads at 19. 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.

Sunrun Inc.

(RUN) is the more profitable company, earning 15. 2% net margin versus -229. 8% for Plug Power Inc. — meaning it keeps 15. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PLUG leads at 38. 1% versus -76. 6% for FCEL. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PLUG leads at 99. 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.

On forward earnings alone, Sunrun Inc.

(RUN) trades at 22. 8x forward P/E versus 123. 6x for Bloom Energy Corporation — 100. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CLNE: 51. 5% to $3. 50.

In this comparison, FCEL (1.

0% yield) pays a dividend. CLNE, PLUG, BE, RUN do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Clean Energy Fuels Corp.

(CLNE) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 19)). Plug Power Inc. (PLUG) carries a higher beta of 2. 57 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (CLNE: -26. 9%, PLUG: +62. 2%), 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 (FCEL (Industrials) and CLNE (Energy) and PLUG (Industrials) and BE (Industrials) and RUN (Energy)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: FCEL is a small-cap high-growth stock; CLNE is a small-cap quality compounder stock; PLUG is a small-cap quality compounder stock; BE is a mid-cap high-growth stock; RUN is a small-cap high-growth stock. FCEL pays a dividend while CLNE, PLUG, BE, RUN do 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.