NWN vs NJR

For growth investors, New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) is the stronger pick with 13.

9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 11. 8% for Northwest Natural Holding Company (NWN). New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) offers the better valuation at 16. 7x trailing P/E (16. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) a "Buy" — based on 16 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, New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) is the cheapest at 16.

7x versus Northwest Natural Holding Company at 18. 1x. On forward P/E, New Jersey Resources Corporation is actually cheaper at 16. 4x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: New Jersey Resources Corporation wins at 1. 15x versus Northwest Natural Holding Company's 4. 55x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) delivered a total return of +46.

6%, compared to +8. 5% for Northwest Natural Holding Company (NWN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NJR returned +90. 4% versus NWN's +22. 0%. 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 Northwest Natural Holding Company's -0. 05β — meaning NWN is approximately -60% more volatile than NJR relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 158% versus 187% for Northwest Natural Holding Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) is pulling ahead at 13.

9% versus 11. 8% for Northwest Natural Holding Company (NWN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Northwest Natural Holding Company grew EPS 36. 5% year-over-year, compared to 14. 0% for New Jersey Resources Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, NWN leads at 7. 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.

New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) is the more profitable company, earning 16.

5% net margin versus 8. 8% for Northwest Natural Holding Company — meaning it keeps 16. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NWN leads at 31. 4% versus 21. 4% for NJR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NWN leads at 39. 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 15x versus Northwest Natural Holding Company's 4. 55x. A PEG below 1. 5 suggests fair-to-attractive pricing relative to expected growth. On forward earnings alone, New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) trades at 16. 4x forward P/E versus 16. 4x for Northwest Natural Holding Company — 0. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for NWN: 13. 9% to $57. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Northwest Natural Holding Company (NWN) offers the highest yield at 3. 8%, versus 3. 2% for New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR).

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. 2% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (NJR: +90. 4%, NWN: +22. 0%), 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.

Both stocks operate in the Utilities sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: NWN is a small-cap income-oriented 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.