COMPARE · Data as of August 21, 2026
ATO vs NJR
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. ATO scored 54.2, NJR scored 63.2 — NJR leads.
Compare another set
ATO
Atmos Energy Corporation
54.2
$166.85 · $28.2B
fundamentals as of
Score gap
9.0
NJR leads
NJR
New Jersey Resources Corporation
63.2
$53.52 · $5.4B
fundamentals as of
At a glance · who leads each dimension, on the model's own rules
- Fastest growthNJR+7.0%
- Strongest balance sheetATO0.68
- Highest qualityNJR77 / 100
- Largest discount to fair valueNJR-26%
Side by side · every name on one set of axes
The model, pillar by pillar (0–100 each)
ATO
stronger →← stronger
NJR
54
Qualityreturns · margins · balance sheet
77
60
Growthrevenue & earnings expansion
48
49
Valuevaluation vs sector peers
68
NJR is stronger on 2 of 3 pillars.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
ATO
NJR
-$2.0bF
FCF
$359mC
+6.5%C+
Rev
+7.0%C+
0.68A
D/E
1.47B
5.7xD
P/S
—
2.07C
PEG
2.13C
—
P/E
14.8xA-
Winner per row is the stronger grade; where grades tie, the better figure breaks it. A true tie or a missing value shows no highlight.
Valuation · DCF cross-check
ATO
NJR
—
Price vs fair valuelower is cheaper
26% below
—
Growth the price implies10-yr FCF · lower = less priced in
~-7%/yr
—
1-yr DCF upside
+46%
—
5-yr DCF upside
+35%
—
10-yr DCF upside
+20%
The DCF is a cross-check on intrinsic value, separate from the quality-growth score above.
Model signals
ATO
Why this score
- Raising its dividend
- Diluting shareholders
NJR
Why this score
- Raising its dividend
The companies
ATOAtmos Energy Corporation
Why now
Utilities - Regulated Gas · market cap $28.2b. 13% off the 52-week high of $192.51. 11 sell-side analysts rate this a Hold with a mean 1-yr target of $188.73 (implying +13% upside).
Moat
Net margin 28% sits well above the S&P median (~11%) — suggests structural pricing advantage or cost discipline competitors can't quickly close.
Risk
Free cash flow is negative (-$2.0b) — capital raises or debt issuance likely required; dilution / leverage risk. Hedge-book exposure — many commodity producers hedge forward production; if the hedge book is concentrated at prices well below spot, the upside the market expects is already locked away.
NJRNew Jersey Resources Corporation
Why now
Utilities - Regulated Gas · market cap $5.4b. 12% off the 52-week high of $60.86. 7 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $60.00 (implying +12% upside).
Moat
Net margin 24% sits well above the S&P median (~11%) — suggests structural pricing advantage or cost discipline competitors can't quickly close. ROE 14% meets the long-run market sustainable threshold — solid but not differentiated; the durability comes from elsewhere. FCF converts 98% of net income — earnings translate cleanly into cash, a sign that working capital and capex are well-disciplined.
Risk
Commodity exposure — earnings power tracks the price of the underlying commodity, not management execution. A 15-20% move in the commodity reprices the equity well before fundamentals catch up.
Verdict — model-derived comparison
Generating verdict… typically 5–10 seconds
Not investment advice. The Bull Rankings publishes a quantitative ranking model and accompanying analysis for general informational purposes only. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security; nothing is personalized to your circumstances, risk tolerance, or tax situation. Investing carries the risk of loss — invest at your own risk and consider consulting a licensed financial professional before acting on anything you read here. See terms and methodology for full disclosures.
Where ATO and NJR diverge
On the headline score the gap is 9.0 points in favor of NJR. They get there differently, though — each leads on a different pillar, so the better pick depends on which you weight.
- QualityATO 53.8 · NJR 76.6NJR +22.8
- ValueATO 49.1 · NJR 68.0NJR +18.9
- GrowthATO 60.0 · NJR 48.4ATO +11.6
Pillars run 0–100 against sector peers, so a score is a statement about a company relative to its own industry rather than to the other name here. A wide Value gap usually means the market already prices the difference in quality or growth — which is the trade-off this comparison comes down to.