Bloom Energy vs. Plug Power: Which Fuel-Cell Stock Should You Buy Now?

Core Insights - Fuel cell technology is essential for the global transition to clean energy, providing high efficiency and low emissions, thus supporting decarbonization across various sectors [1][3] - Companies like Bloom Energy and Plug Power are leading in the fuel cell market, offering scalable energy solutions that mitigate the intermittency issues of renewable sources like solar and wind [2][4] Company Analysis Bloom Energy (BE) - Bloom Energy is positioned as a leader in onsite power generation with solid oxide fuel cell technology, enabling high efficiency and near-zero emissions [4] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate indicates BE's earnings growth of 78.57% for 2025 and 56% for 2026, with a long-term growth rate of 28.02% [7] - BE's return on invested capital (ROIC) is 4.62%, significantly higher than Plug Power's -57.91%, indicating more efficient capital use [9][12] - The company's times interest earned (TIE) ratio is 1.3, showcasing better debt servicing capacity compared to Plug Power's -36.1 [9][13] - Bloom Energy's current price-to-sales (P/S) ratio is 13.56X, indicating a premium valuation compared to Plug Power's 3.7X [14] - Over the past three months, BE's shares have increased by 248.2%, outperforming Plug Power's 89.3% [15] Plug Power (PLUG) - Plug Power is a key player in the green hydrogen and fuel cell market, providing clean power solutions across various sectors [5] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate suggests PLUG's earnings growth of 76.87% for 2025 and 49.77% for 2026 [10] - Despite showing potential for growth, Plug Power's ROIC is negative, indicating less efficient capital utilization compared to Bloom Energy [12] - The company's TIE ratio is significantly lower than Bloom Energy's, reflecting challenges in debt servicing [13] Conclusion - Both Bloom Energy and Plug Power are committed to delivering reliable, emission-free electricity, but Bloom Energy's stronger earnings estimates, higher ROIC, better TIE ratio, and superior price performance make it a more attractive investment opportunity at present [17]