SMG vs ANDE

For growth investors, The Andersons, Inc.

(ANDE) is the stronger pick with -2. 2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -3. 9% for The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (SMG). The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (SMG) offers the better valuation at 25. 3x trailing P/E (14. 2x 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.

On trailing P/E, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (SMG) is the cheapest at 25.

3x versus The Andersons, Inc. at 25. 3x. On forward P/E, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company is actually cheaper at 14. 2x.

Over the past 5 years, The Andersons, Inc.

(ANDE) delivered a total return of +141. 6%, compared to -69. 1% for The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (SMG). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ANDE returned +192. 1% versus SMG's +34. 9%. 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), The Andersons, Inc.

(ANDE) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 55β versus The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company's 1. 10β — meaning SMG is approximately 100% more volatile than ANDE relative to the S&P 500.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), The Andersons, Inc.

(ANDE) is pulling ahead at -2. 2% versus -3. 9% for The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (SMG). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company grew EPS 504. 9% year-over-year, compared to -15. 7% for The Andersons, Inc.. 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.

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (SMG) is the more profitable company, earning 4.

3% net margin versus 0. 9% for The Andersons, Inc. — meaning it keeps 4. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SMG leads at 10. 5% versus 1. 2% for ANDE. 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.

On forward earnings alone, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (SMG) trades at 14.

2x forward P/E versus 14. 5x for The Andersons, Inc. — 0. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SMG: 15. 4% to $72. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (SMG) offers the highest yield at 4. 2%, versus 1. 1% for The Andersons, Inc. (ANDE).

For long-horizon retirement investors, The Andersons, Inc.

(ANDE) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 55), 1. 1% yield, +192. 1% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ANDE: +192. 1%, 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (SMG (Basic Materials) and ANDE (Consumer Defensive)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: SMG is a small-cap income-oriented stock; ANDE is a small-cap quality compounder 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.