NFG vs NJR

For growth investors, National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) is the stronger pick with 17.

1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 13. 9% for New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR). National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) offers the better valuation at 14. 4x trailing P/E (10. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) a "Buy" — based on 18 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, National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) is the cheapest at 14.

4x versus New Jersey Resources Corporation at 16. 5x. On forward P/E, National Fuel Gas Company is actually cheaper at 10. 5x.

Over the past 5 years, National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) delivered a total return of +78.

4%, compared to +46. 8% for New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NJR returned +89. 9% versus NFG's +84. 3%. 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), New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) is the lower-risk stock at -0.

13β versus National Fuel Gas Company's -0. 08β — meaning NFG is approximately -37% more volatile than NJR relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 92% versus 158% for New Jersey Resources Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) is pulling ahead at 17.

1% versus 13. 9% for New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: National Fuel Gas Company grew EPS 576. 2% year-over-year, compared to 14. 0% for New Jersey Resources Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, NFG leads at 1. 4% 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.

National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) is the more profitable company, earning 22.

8% net margin versus 16. 5% for New Jersey Resources Corporation — meaning it keeps 22. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NFG leads at 35. 7% versus 21. 4% for NJR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NFG leads at 66. 1%, 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, National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) trades at 10.

5x forward P/E versus 16. 2x for New Jersey Resources Corporation — 5. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for NFG: 23. 9% to $101. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) offers the highest yield at 3. 3%, versus 2. 5% for National Fuel Gas Company (NFG).

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

13), 3. 3% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (NJR: +89. 9%, NFG: +84. 3%), 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 (NFG (Energy) and NJR (Utilities)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: NFG is a small-cap high-growth stock; NJR is a small-cap deep-value 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.