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ATO vs NJR
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. New Jersey Resources (NJR) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- Both ATO and NJR operate as natural gas utilities, delivering defensive stability in volatile markets with consistent dividends.
- ATO boasts a larger market capitalization around $30 billion and stronger 12-month returns of approximately 21%, outperforming the S&P 500.
- NJR's market cap stands at about $5.5 billion, with 12-month gains near 14% and recent earnings beats supporting raised guidance.
- Recent quarterly results show ATO with net income of $403 million and capital expenditures over $1 billion, emphasizing infrastructure growth.
- NJR reported fiscal Q1 net financial earnings per share (NFEPS, a non-GAAP measure adjusted for certain items) of $1.17, exceeding estimates.
- Dividend yields remain attractive for both, with ATO at around 2.12% ($1.00 quarterly) and NJR at comparable levels ($0.475 quarterly).
Introduction
Atmos Energy (ATO) and New Jersey Resources (NJR) represent key players in the natural gas distribution sector, offering investors exposure to regulated utilities amid fluctuating energy markets. This comparison analyzes their business models, recent performance, and market positioning, aiding dividend-focused investors and those seeking defensive holdings. With utilities providing stability during economic uncertainty, understanding relative strengths in growth, earnings, and momentum helps inform portfolio decisions in the current environment.
ATO Overview and Recent Performance
Atmos Energy Corporation (ATO) is a leading natural gas distributor serving over three million customers across eight states, primarily in the South and Midwest. The company focuses on safe, reliable delivery through extensive pipeline infrastructure. In recent quarters, ATO reported first-quarter net income of $403 million, or earnings per share (EPS, profit divided by outstanding shares) of $2.44, reflecting customer growth and operational efficiency. Capital expenditures exceeded $1 billion, with over 85% allocated to safety and reliability projects, bolstering long-term infrastructure. Stock performance has shown resilience, with year-to-date gains around 14% and 12-month total returns of nearly 21%, supported by steady dividend increases and favorable regulation. Sentiment remains positive due to consistent earnings growth and infrastructure investments amid rising natural gas demand.
NJR Overview and Recent Performance
New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) is a diversified energy services firm centered on natural gas distribution to over 500,000 New Jersey customers, alongside clean energy and midstream assets. Its operations span regulated utilities and commercial energy solutions. Recent fiscal first-quarter results highlighted net income of $122 million and NFEPS of $1.17, surpassing consensus estimates by $0.22 and prompting raised full-year guidance. The company continues quarterly dividends at $0.475 per share, underscoring shareholder commitment. Shares have delivered about 14% returns over the past year, trading near 52-week highs around $55-$57, influenced by strong segment performance and solar portfolio gains. Investor sentiment benefits from earnings beats and diversified revenue streams in a stable utility landscape.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
ATO and NJR both thrive in regulated natural gas distribution but differ in scale and diversification. ATO’s pure-play model emphasizes large-scale infrastructure (market cap ~$30B), driving higher capital investments and customer expansion, while NJR (~$5.5B cap) leverages added clean energy and midstream for revenue balance. Growth drivers include ATO’s safety-focused capex and NJR’s guidance raises. Recent momentum favors ATO with superior 12-month returns (~21% vs. ~14%). Risk factors like regulatory changes and weather volatility affect both equally, though ATO’s size offers greater stability. Sector exposure remains utilities-focused, with positive sentiment from dividend reliability amid broader market shifts.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI models currently lean toward ATO due to its larger scale, consistent earnings trajectory, higher recent total returns, and robust infrastructure catalysts. NJR shows promise with earnings beats and diversification, but ATO’s relative positioning suggests stronger trend consistency in the near term, potentially favoring it for momentum-driven strategies.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer. Disclaimers and Limitations
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is ATO is a StrongBuy and NJR is a Buy.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
ATO’s FA Score shows that 1 FA rating(s) are green whileNJR’s FA Score has 2 green FA rating(s).
- ATO’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- NJR’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
ATO’s TA Score shows that 6 TA indicator(s) are bullish while NJR’s TA Score has 6 bullish TA indicator(s).
- ATO’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 4 bearish.
- NJR’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
ATO (@Gas Distributors) experienced а -0.16% price change this week, while NJR (@Gas Distributors) price change was +0.29% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Gas Distributors industry was -0.75%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -2.35%, and the average quarterly price growth was +3.01%.
Reported Earning Dates
ATO is expected to report earnings on Aug 12, 2026.
NJR is expected to report earnings on Aug 12, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Gas Distributors (-0.75% weekly)Gas distributors are involved in moving and selling gas – from wellheads or over-distribution systems operated by other firms – to residential and non-residential customers. These companies perform tasks such as the gathering and processing of gas, intrastate and interstate transport, and delivery to the customer. Some of the biggest gas distributing companies in the U.S. include Sempra Energy, Avangrid Inc and Atmos Energy Corporation.
| ATO | NJR | ATO / NJR | |
| Capitalization | 28.4B | 5.56B | 511% |
| EBITDA | 2.59B | 760M | 341% |
| Gain YTD | 2.530 | 21.554 | 12% |
| P/E Ratio | 20.93 | 16.35 | 128% |
| Revenue | 4.88B | 2.18B | 224% |
| Total Cash | 126M | N/A | - |
| Total Debt | 9.63B | 3.77B | 256% |
ATO | NJR | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 62 | 83 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 59 Fair valued | 26 Undervalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 8 | 34 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 74 | 63 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 58 | 49 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 55 | 19 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
NJR's Valuation (26) in the Gas Distributors industry is somewhat better than the same rating for ATO (59). This means that NJR’s stock grew somewhat faster than ATO’s over the last 12 months.
ATO's Profit vs Risk Rating (8) in the Gas Distributors industry is in the same range as NJR (34). This means that ATO’s stock grew similarly to NJR’s over the last 12 months.
NJR's SMR Rating (63) in the Gas Distributors industry is in the same range as ATO (74). This means that NJR’s stock grew similarly to ATO’s over the last 12 months.
NJR's Price Growth Rating (49) in the Gas Distributors industry is in the same range as ATO (58). This means that NJR’s stock grew similarly to ATO’s over the last 12 months.
NJR's P/E Growth Rating (19) in the Gas Distributors industry is somewhat better than the same rating for ATO (55). This means that NJR’s stock grew somewhat faster than ATO’s over the last 12 months.
| ATO | NJR | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 56% | 4 days ago 45% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 58% | 4 days ago 50% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 58% | 4 days ago 53% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 52% | 4 days ago 49% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 35% | 4 days ago 51% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 35% | 4 days ago 45% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 21 days ago 49% | 6 days ago 47% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 7 days ago 40% | 15 days ago 45% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 55% | 4 days ago 52% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 29% | 8 days ago 51% |
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ATO and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, ATO has been closely correlated with OGS. These tickers have moved in lockstep 77% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if ATO jumps, then OGS could also see price increases.