OPAL vs REX vs GPRE vs CLNE

For growth investors, OPAL Fuels Inc.

(OPAL) is the stronger pick with 16. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -22. 9% for REX American Resources Corporation (REX). OPAL Fuels Inc. (OPAL) offers the better valuation at 15. 6x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate REX American Resources Corporation (REX) a "Buy" — based on 3 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, OPAL Fuels Inc.

(OPAL) is the cheapest at 15. 6x versus REX American Resources Corporation at 29. 5x. On forward P/E, Green Plains Inc. is actually cheaper at 46. 6x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, REX American Resources Corporation (REX) delivered a total return of +250.

0%, compared to -76. 1% for OPAL Fuels Inc. (OPAL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: REX returned +464. 7% versus OPAL's -76. 1%. 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), REX American Resources Corporation (REX) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

36β versus OPAL Fuels Inc. 's 1. 58β — meaning OPAL is approximately 334% more volatile than REX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, REX American Resources Corporation (REX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 73% for OPAL Fuels Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), OPAL Fuels Inc.

(OPAL) is pulling ahead at 16. 3% versus -22. 9% for REX American Resources Corporation (REX). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: OPAL Fuels Inc. grew EPS 638. 9% year-over-year, compared to -173. 0% for Clean Energy Fuels Corp.. Over a 3-year CAGR, OPAL leads at 14. 0% 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.

REX American Resources Corporation (REX) is the more profitable company, earning 9.

1% net margin versus -52. 3% for Clean Energy Fuels Corp. — meaning it keeps 9. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: REX leads at 10. 0% versus -22. 1% for CLNE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — OPAL leads at 24. 0%, 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, Green Plains Inc.

(GPRE) trades at 46. 6x forward P/E versus 62. 8x for REX American Resources Corporation — 16. 2x 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, OPAL (15.

3% yield) pays a dividend. REX, GPRE, CLNE do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

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

36), +464. 7% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (REX: +464. 7%, CLNE: -26. 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (OPAL (Utilities) and REX (Basic Materials) and GPRE (Basic Materials) and CLNE (Energy)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: OPAL is a small-cap high-growth stock; REX is a small-cap quality compounder stock; GPRE is a small-cap quality compounder stock; CLNE is a small-cap quality compounder stock. OPAL pays a dividend while REX, GPRE, CLNE 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.