Does Century Aluminum Stock Lead the Pack?
Century Aluminum’s stock has soared by 221% over the past year, significantly outperforming its peers. As the aluminum market navigates volatility and structural shifts, how does CENX truly stack up against competitors? A closer look reveals strong revenue growth and competitive operating profitability, coupled with a healthy free cash flow margin. However, CENX’s notably elevated PE ratio suggests expectations may be stretched, implying potential limited upside if industry dynamics or commodity prices encounter headwinds.
- CENX’s 6.3% operating margin is modest due to primary aluminum exposure, yet better than most peers, though less than RS (7.0%) with its value-added services.
- CENX’s 13.9% LTM revenue growth is strong, outpacing peers on domestic capacity expansion; lags CSTM, which is focused on EV/battery aluminum.
- CENX gained 220.7%, outpacing peers. Its 134.6 PE reflects high growth expectations amid rising aluminum prices and US tariff support.
Here’s how Century Aluminum stacks up across size, valuation, and profitability versus key peers.
| CENX | AA | KALU | CSTM | RS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap ($ Bil) | 5.6 | 17.2 | 2.1 | 3.5 | 16.0 |
| Revenue ($ Bil) | 2.5 | 12.8 | 3.4 | 8.4 | 14.3 |
| PE Ratio | 134.6 | 14.9 | 18.4 | 12.7 | 21.7 |
| LTM Revenue Growth | 13.9% | 7.9% | 11.5% | 15.2% | 3.3% |
| LTM Operating Margin | 6.3% | 5.9% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 7.0% |
| LTM FCF Margin | 3.4% | 4.4% | -0.8% | 1.9% | 3.5% |
| 12M Market Return | 220.7% | 110.0% | 94.9% | 113.9% | 11.2% |
For more details on Century Aluminum, read Buy or Sell CENX Stock. Below we compare CENX’s growth, margin, and valuation with peers across years
Revenue Growth Comparison
| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CENX | 13.9% | 13.9% | 1.6% | -21.3% |
| AA | 7.9% | 7.9% | 12.7% | -15.3% |
| KALU | 11.5% | 11.5% | -2.0% | -9.9% |
| CSTM | 15.2% | 15.2% | -6.3% | -8.3% |
| RS | 3.3% | 3.3% | -6.6% | -13.0% |
Operating Margin Comparison
| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CENX | 6.3% | 6.3% | 4.9% | 1.3% |
| AA | 5.9% | 5.9% | 7.0% | -2.2% |
| KALU | 5.7% | 5.7% | 4.0% | 4.1% |
| CSTM | 5.7% | 5.6% | 3.7% | 4.9% |
| RS | 7.0% | 7.0% | 8.3% | 11.6% |
PE Ratio Comparison
| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CENX | 134.6 | 88.3 | 5.0 | -26.0 |
| AA | 14.9 | 11.9 | 133.5 | -9.3 |
| KALU | 18.4 | 16.5 | 17.2 | 16.8 |
| CSTM | 12.7 | 9.6 | 26.7 | 19.2 |
| RS | 21.7 | 20.5 | 17.2 | 12.2 |
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