Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Energy Vault Holdings, Inc. (NRGV) vs NuScale Power Corporation (SMR) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | NRGV | -86.5% revenue growth vs SMR's -100.0% |
| Quality / Margins | NRGV | -172.6% net margin vs SMR's -5.9% |
| Stability / Safety | NRGV | Beta 2.17 vs SMR's 2.36 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | NRGV | +120.6% vs SMR's -25.2% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | SMR | -43.0% ROA vs NRGV's -51.3%, ROIC -314.7% 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
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.
NuScale Power designs and sells small modular nuclear reactors for electricity generation and industrial heat applications. It generates revenue primarily through engineering, procurement, and construction contracts for its modular reactor systems, with future recurring revenue expected from long-term service agreements. The company's key advantage is its proprietary, passively safe reactor design — which is smaller, scalable, and factory-built — offering a standardized nuclear solution with lower upfront capital requirements than traditional large-scale plants.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
SMR leads in 3 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). NRGV leads in 2 (Financial Metrics, Risk & Volatility).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
NRGV and SMR operate at a comparable scale, with $84M and $64M in trailing revenue. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from -172.6% (NRGV) to -5.9% (SMR). On growth, NRGV holds the edge at +26.8% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | NRGVEnergy Vault Hold… | SMRNuScale Power Cor… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $84M | $64M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$115M | -$627M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$145M | -$380M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$75M | -$584M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +22.7% | +66.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -139.6% | -9.8% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -172.6% | -5.9% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -89.6% | -9.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +26.8% | +16.4% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +11.1% | -9.3% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | NRGVEnergy Vault Hold… | SMRNuScale Power Cor… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $460M | $249M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $434M | -$587M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -3.30x | -5.92x |
| 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 | 3.56x | 1.89x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
SMR delivers a -87.4% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-87 in annual profit, vs $-180 for NRGV. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), NRGV scores 2/9 vs SMR's 0/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | NRGVEnergy Vault Hold… | SMRNuScale Power Cor… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -179.7% | -87.4% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -51.3% | -43.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -90.2% | -3.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -72.6% | -87.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 2 | 0 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.01x | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$26M | -$836M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $27M | $836M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $1M | $0 |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -1056.88x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in SMR five years ago would be worth $12,009 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $3,109 for NRGV. Over the past 12 months, NRGV leads with a +120.6% total return vs SMR's -25.2%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors SMR at 7.5% vs NRGV's -3.5% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | NRGVEnergy Vault Hold… | SMRNuScale Power Cor… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -38.7% | -21.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +120.6% | -25.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -10.2% | +24.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -68.9% | +20.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -68.9% | +29.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -3.5% | +7.5% |
Risk & Volatility
NRGV is the less volatile stock with a 2.17 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than SMR's 2.36 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 SMR's 22.4% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | NRGVEnergy Vault Hold… | SMRNuScale Power Cor… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 2.17x | 2.36x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $6.35 | $57.42 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $0.60 | $11.08 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +47.2% | +22.4% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 39.4 | 39.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 3.0M | 23.6M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates NRGV as "Buy" and SMR as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 57.0% upside for SMR (target: $20) vs -8.3% for NRGV (target: $3).
| Metric | NRGVEnergy Vault Hold… | SMRNuScale Power Cor… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $2.75 | $20.17 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 7 | 16 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.1% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 21 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy Vault Holdin… (NRGV) | 100 | 47.67 | -52.3% |
| NuScale Power Corpo… (SMR) | 100 | 163.82 | +63.8% |
NuScale Power Corpo… (SMR) returned +20% over 5 years vs Energy Vault Holdin… (NRGV)'s -69%. A $10,000 investment in SMR 5 years ago would be worth $12,009 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2019 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy Vault Holdin… (NRGV) | $0.00 | $46M | — |
| NuScale Power Corpo… (SMR) | $373000.00 | $0.00 | -100.0% |
NuScale Power Corporation's revenue grew from $0M (2019) to $0M (2025) — a -100.0% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2019 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy Vault Holdin… (NRGV) | -53.7% | -2.9% | +94.5% |
| NuScale Power Corpo… (SMR) | -190.6% | -3.7% | +98.1% |
NuScale Power Corporation's net margin went from -191% (2019) to -4% (2024).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2019 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy Vault Holdin… (NRGV) | -8.23 | -0.91 | +88.9% |
| NuScale Power Corpo… (SMR) | -1.63 | -2.17 | -33.1% |
NuScale Power Corporation's EPS grew from $-1.63 (2019) to $-2.17 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Energy Vault Holdings, Inc. generated $-115M FCF in 2024 (-394% vs 2021). NuScale Power Corporation generated $-871M FCF in 2025 (-761% vs 2021).
NRGV vs SMR: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is NRGV or SMR 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 — NRGV or SMR?
Over the past 5 years, NuScale Power Corporation (SMR) delivered a total return of +20.1%, compared to -68.9% for Energy Vault Holdings, Inc. (NRGV). A $10,000 investment in SMR five years ago would be worth approximately $12K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SMR returned +29.1% versus NRGV's -68.9%. 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 — NRGV or SMR?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Energy Vault Holdings, Inc. (NRGV) is the lower-risk stock at 2.17β versus NuScale Power Corporation's 2.36β — meaning SMR is approximately 9% more volatile than NRGV relative to the S&P 500.
04Which has better profit margins — NRGV or SMR?
Energy Vault Holdings, Inc. (NRGV) is the more profitable company, earning -293.8% net margin versus -594.6% for NuScale Power Corporation — 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 -984.0% for SMR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SMR leads at 66.8%, 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.
05Which pays a better dividend — NRGV or SMR?
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 NRGV or SMR better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, NuScale Power Corporation (SMR) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding. 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 (SMR: +29.1%, 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 NRGV and SMR?
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.
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