CENX vs. KALU
CENX (Century Aluminum Company) and KALU (Kaiser Aluminum Corporation) are both stocks. Both operate in the Aluminum industry within the Basic Materials sector. Over the past 10 years, CENX returned 22.96%/yr vs 11.27%/yr for KALU. A 0.57 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.
Performance
CENX vs. KALU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CENX achieves a 26.42% return, which is significantly lower than KALU's 62.80% return. Over the past 10 years, CENX has outperformed KALU with an annualized return of 22.96%, while KALU has yielded a comparatively lower 11.27% annualized return.
CENX
- 1D
- -4.22%
- 1M
- -23.86%
- YTD
- 26.42%
- 6M
- 33.18%
- 1Y
- 192.90%
- 3Y*
- 78.02%
- 5Y*
- 32.11%
- 10Y*
- 22.96%
KALU
- 1D
- 1.25%
- 1M
- 5.45%
- YTD
- 62.80%
- 6M
- 61.12%
- 1Y
- 154.44%
- 3Y*
- 44.59%
- 5Y*
- 10.80%
- 10Y*
- 11.27%
CENX vs. KALU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CENX Century Aluminum Company | 26.42% | 115.04% | 50.08% | 48.41% | -50.60% | 50.14% | 46.77% | 2.80% | -62.78% | 129.44% |
KALU Kaiser Aluminum Corporation | 62.80% | 70.14% | 2.75% | -2.14% | -16.17% | -2.44% | -7.57% | 27.24% | -14.68% | 40.65% |
Correlation
The correlation between CENX and KALU is 0.47, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.47 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.54 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.59 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.57 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 7, 2006 | 0.57 |
The correlation between CENX and KALU shifts across timeframes, from 0.47 (1 year) to 0.59 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
CENX:
$5.18B
KALU:
$3.12B
CENX:
$3.54
KALU:
$9.20
CENX:
13.99
KALU:
20.10
CENX:
0.04
KALU:
0.55
CENX:
1.92
KALU:
0.83
CENX:
4.50
KALU:
3.55
CENX:
$2.54B
KALU:
$3.70B
CENX:
$322.30M
KALU:
$379.10M
CENX:
$466.30M
KALU:
$380.80M
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Return for Risk
CENX vs. KALU — Risk / Return Rank
CENX
KALU
CENX vs. KALU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Century Aluminum Company (CENX) and Kaiser Aluminum Corporation (KALU). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| CENX | KALU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.35 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.89 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.41 | 1.49 | -0.08 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 6.94 | 5.97 | +0.97 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 22.15 | 15.17 | +6.98 |
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Drawdowns
CENX vs. KALU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CENX drawdown since its inception was -98.67%, which is greater than KALU's maximum drawdown of -82.08%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CENX and KALU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CENX | KALU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -98.67% | -82.08% | -16.59% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -27.98% | -26.03% | -1.95% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -42.77% | -48.85% | +6.08% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -82.10% | -57.59% | -24.51% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -87.51% | -58.48% | -29.03% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -38.08% | -2.94% | -35.14% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -61.10% | -25.54% | -35.56% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.75% | 10.22% | -1.47% |
Volatility
CENX vs. KALU - Volatility Comparison
Century Aluminum Company (CENX) has a higher volatility of 22.52% compared to Kaiser Aluminum Corporation (KALU) at 13.66%. This indicates that CENX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than KALU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CENX | KALU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 22.52% | 13.66% | +8.86% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 47.80% | 33.26% | +14.54% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 63.93% | 45.87% | +18.06% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 72.19% | 44.64% | +27.55% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 70.70% | 42.09% | +28.61% |
Dividends
CENX vs. KALU - Dividend Comparison
CENX has not paid dividends to shareholders, while KALU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.66%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CENX Century Aluminum Company | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
KALU Kaiser Aluminum Corporation | 1.66% | 2.68% | 4.38% | 4.33% | 4.05% | 3.07% | 2.71% | 2.16% | 2.46% | 1.87% | 2.32% | 1.91% |
Financials
CENX vs. KALU - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Century Aluminum Company and Kaiser Aluminum Corporation. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
CENX vs. KALU - Profitability Comparison
CENX - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Century Aluminum Company reported a gross profit of 118.80M and revenue of 649.20M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 18.3%.
KALU - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Kaiser Aluminum Corporation reported a gross profit of 133.20M and revenue of 1.11B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 12.0%.
CENX - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Century Aluminum Company reported an operating income of 374.00M and revenue of 649.20M, resulting in an operating margin of 57.6%.
KALU - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Kaiser Aluminum Corporation reported an operating income of 97.80M and revenue of 1.11B, resulting in an operating margin of 8.8%.
CENX - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Century Aluminum Company reported a net income of 337.50M and revenue of 649.20M, resulting in a net margin of 52.0%.
KALU - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Kaiser Aluminum Corporation reported a net income of 62.50M and revenue of 1.11B, resulting in a net margin of 5.7%.
Frequently Asked Questions
CENX and KALU have a correlation of 0.47, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CENX has higher volatility (22.52%) compared to KALU (13.66%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CENX dropped -98.67% vs KALU's -82.08%.
KALU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.39 vs 3.04), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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