Agricultural Inputs
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MOS vs SMG
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Agricultural Inputs
MOS vs SMG — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Agricultural Inputs | Agricultural Inputs |
| Market Cap | $7.48B | $3.65B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $11.68B | $3.35B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $1.22B | $90M |
| Gross Margin | 16.5% | 31.0% |
| Operating Margin | 9.9% | 11.7% |
| Forward P/E | 16.1x | 14.3x |
| Total Debt | $760M | $2.38B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $277M | $37M |
MOS vs SMG — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Mosaic Company (MOS) | 100 | 194.9 | +94.9% |
| The Scotts Miracle-… (SMG) | 100 | 44.1 | -55.9% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: MOS vs SMG
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
MOS carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and growth exposure.
- Dividend streak 1 yrs, beta 0.52, yield 4.0%
- Rev growth 5.0%, EPS growth 6.1%, 3Y rev CAGR -15.2%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.52, Low D/E 6.2%, current ratio 1.32x
SMG is the clearest fit if your priority is long-term compounding.
- 34.9% 10Y total return vs MOS's 12.7%
- Lower P/E (14.3x vs 16.1x)
- +19.3% vs MOS's -19.7%
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 5.0% revenue growth vs SMG's -3.9% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (14.3x vs 16.1x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 10.5% margin vs SMG's 2.7% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.52 vs SMG's 1.10 | |
| Dividends | 4.0% yield, 1-year raise streak, vs SMG's 4.2% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +19.3% vs MOS's -19.7% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 5.0% ROA vs SMG's 2.9%, ROIC 6.1% vs 13.3% |
MOS vs SMG — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
MOS vs SMG — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
Evenly matched — MOS and SMG each lead in 3 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
MOS is the larger business by revenue, generating $11.7B annually — 3.5x SMG's $3.4B. MOS is the more profitable business, keeping 10.5% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to SMG's 2.7%. On growth, MOS holds the edge at -7.5% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $11.7B | $3.4B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $2.2B | $466M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $1.2B | $90M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$535M | $358M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +16.5% | +31.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +9.9% | +11.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +10.5% | +2.7% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -4.6% | +10.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -7.5% | -15.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +3.8% | -78.5% |
Valuation Metrics
MOS leads this category, winning 3 of 4 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 6.1x trailing earnings, MOS trades at a 76% valuation discount to SMG's 25.4x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, MOS's 3.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than SMG's 13.8x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $7.5B | $3.6B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $8.0B | $6.0B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 6.07x | 25.45x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 16.13x | 14.34x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.35x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 3.69x | 13.82x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.64x | 1.07x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.57x | — |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 13.32x |
Profitability & Efficiency
MOS leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +10.0% | — |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +5.0% | +2.9% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +6.1% | +13.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +5.9% | +17.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.06x | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $483M | $2.3B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $277M | $37M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $760M | $2.4B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 8.81x | 3.08x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
SMG leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in MOS five years ago would be worth $7,709 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $3,161 for SMG. Over the past 12 months, SMG leads with a +19.3% total return vs MOS's -19.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors SMG at -0.8% vs MOS's -11.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -5.0% | +6.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -19.7% | +19.3% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -31.0% | -2.5% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -22.9% | -68.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +12.7% | +34.9% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -11.6% | -0.8% |
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — MOS and SMG each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
MOS is the less volatile stock with a 0.52 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than SMG's 1.10 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. SMG currently trades 86.9% from its 52-week high vs MOS's 61.6% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.52x | 1.10x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $38.23 | $72.35 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $22.74 | $52.00 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +61.6% | +86.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 39.6 | 41.3 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 9.7M | 948K |
Analyst Outlook
Evenly matched — MOS and SMG each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates MOS as "Hold" and SMG as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 32.6% upside for MOS (target: $31) vs 14.6% for SMG (target: $72). For income investors, SMG offers the higher dividend yield at 4.18% vs MOS's 4.04%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $31.25 | $72.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 49 | 17 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +4.0% | +4.2% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.95 | $2.63 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.5% |
MOS leads in 2 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). SMG leads in 1 (Total Returns). 3 tied.
MOS vs SMG: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is MOS or SMG a better buy right now?
For growth investors, The Mosaic Company (MOS) is the stronger pick with 5.
0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -3. 9% for The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (SMG). The Mosaic Company (MOS) offers the better valuation at 6. 1x trailing P/E (16. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (SMG) a "Buy" — based on 17 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 has the better valuation — MOS or SMG?
On trailing P/E, The Mosaic Company (MOS) is the cheapest at 6.
1x versus The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company at 25. 4x. On forward P/E, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company is actually cheaper at 14. 3x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — MOS or SMG?
Over the past 5 years, The Mosaic Company (MOS) delivered a total return of -22.
9%, compared to -68. 4% for The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (SMG). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SMG returned +34. 9% versus MOS's +12. 7%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — MOS or SMG?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), The Mosaic Company (MOS) is the lower-risk stock at 0.
52β versus The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company's 1. 10β — meaning SMG is approximately 112% more volatile than MOS relative to the S&P 500.
05Which is growing faster — MOS or SMG?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), The Mosaic Company (MOS) is pulling ahead at 5.
0% versus -3. 9% for The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (SMG). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: The Mosaic Company grew EPS 605. 5% year-over-year, compared to 504. 9% for The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, SMG leads at -4. 5% 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.
06Which has better profit margins — MOS or SMG?
The Mosaic Company (MOS) is the more profitable company, earning 10.
5% net margin versus 4. 3% for The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company — meaning it keeps 10. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SMG leads at 10. 5% versus 9. 9% for MOS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SMG leads at 30. 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.
07Is MOS or SMG more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (SMG) trades at 14.
3x forward P/E versus 16. 1x for The Mosaic Company — 1. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for MOS: 32. 6% to $31. 25.
08Which pays a better dividend — MOS or SMG?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (SMG) offers the highest yield at 4. 2%, versus 4. 0% for The Mosaic Company (MOS).
09Is MOS or SMG better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, The Mosaic Company (MOS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.
52), 4. 0% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (MOS: +12. 7%, SMG: +34. 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.
10What are the main differences between MOS and SMG?
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: MOS is a small-cap deep-value stock; SMG is a small-cap income-oriented stock. 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.
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