CENX

Basic Materials

Century Aluminum Company · Aluminum · $6B

UQS Score — Balanced Preset
44.1
Below Average

Century Aluminum Company scores 44.1/100 using the Balanced preset.

UQS vs Basic Materials Sector
CENX
44.1
Sector avg
38.2
Quality
Neutral
Moat
Weak
Growth
Neutral
Risk
Good
Valuation
Neutral

What is Century Aluminum Company?

Century Aluminum Company is a mid-cap primary aluminum producer operating smelters in the United States and Iceland, with additional carbon anode manufacturing in the Netherlands.

Century Aluminum produces standard-grade and value-added primary aluminum for industrial customers. Revenue comes from selling aluminum metal output from its smelting operations. The company also manufactures carbon anodes — a key input in aluminum production — at its Dutch facility, supporting both internal use and third-party sales.

Incorporated in 1996 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

  • Standard-grade primary aluminum
  • Value-added aluminum products
  • Carbon anode production

Is CENX a Good Stock to Buy?

UQS Score rates CENX as Below Average overall.

Growth stands out as the brightest spot in Century Aluminum's profile, suggesting the business has shown forward momentum relative to its pillar peers. Risk and Valuation both land at Neutral, meaning neither poses an immediate red flag.

Quality and Moat are both rated Weak, reflecting thin competitive differentiation and below-average business durability typical of commodity metal producers.

See the exact pillar breakdown and full financial metrics by signing up for a Pro account. Sign up free →

Past performance does not guarantee future results. UQS Score is based on fundamental data and is not a buy/sell recommendation.

Does CENX pay dividends?

No — Century Aluminum Company does not currently pay a dividend.

Century Aluminum does not currently pay a dividend. For a capital-intensive commodity producer, retaining cash to fund smelter operations and manage cyclical downturns is a common priority over shareholder distributions.

When does CENX report earnings?

Century Aluminum reports earnings on a quarterly cadence, typical for US-listed equities.

Results tend to track aluminum market prices closely, making quarterly swings common. Investors should watch smelter utilization rates and energy costs as key drivers of reported performance.

For the most recent quarter's results, visit Century Aluminum's investor relations page directly.

CENX Price History

+351.1% over 5Y

Monthly close, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment.

Return Calculator

What if I invested in Century Aluminum Company?

$
Today it would be worth
$41,291
That's a +313% total return, or +32.8% annualized.

Based on Century Aluminum Company's historical closing prices, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Century Aluminum do?

Century Aluminum produces primary aluminum at smelters in the United States and Iceland. It also operates a carbon anode facility in the Netherlands. The company sells both standard-grade and value-added aluminum products to industrial buyers.

Does CENX pay dividends?

No, Century Aluminum does not currently pay a dividend. The company retains capital to support its energy-intensive smelting operations and navigate the cyclical nature of commodity aluminum markets.

When does CENX report earnings?

Century Aluminum follows a standard quarterly reporting schedule. For exact dates and the latest results, check the investor relations section of the company's official website.

Is CENX a good stock to buy?

UQS Score rates CENX as Below Average, driven by Weak Quality and Moat scores. Growth is rated Good, and Risk and Valuation are Neutral. The complete pillar breakdown is available to Pro members at uqs-score.com.

Is CENX overvalued?

CENX carries a Neutral Valuation rating in the UQS framework, suggesting it is neither clearly cheap nor expensive relative to its fundamentals. Full valuation metrics are available with a Pro subscription.

What is CENX's market cap bracket?

Century Aluminum is classified as a mid-cap company, placing it between the smallest publicly traded firms and the large-cap tier of the Basic Materials sector.

Is CENX a long-term quality investment?

As a commodity aluminum producer, Century Aluminum faces structural challenges around moat and quality that the UQS framework rates as Weak. Long-term quality indicators favor businesses with durable competitive advantages — areas where CENX currently scores below average.

What sector does CENX belong to?

Century Aluminum operates in the Basic Materials sector, specifically within primary metal production. Aluminum producers in this sector are heavily influenced by global commodity prices, energy costs, and industrial demand cycles.

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Pro Analysis

CENX — Score History

3035404550Apr 2Apr 12Apr 22May 2May 12May 22May 24v5
Score changes· 10 most recent
DateUQSQualityMoatGrowthRiskValueChange
May 11, 202644.144.517.055.962.255.0+2.7
May 9, 202641.463.817.09.680.348.1+4.6
Apr 24, 202636.823.417.055.948.455.00.0
Apr 23, 202636.823.217.055.948.455.00.0
Apr 22, 202636.823.317.055.948.455.0-3.0
Apr 18, 202639.827.417.065.848.455.0-2.0
Apr 17, 202641.827.217.065.848.468.80.0
Apr 15, 202641.827.317.065.848.468.80.0
Apr 8, 202641.827.217.065.848.468.80.0
Apr 2, 202641.827.317.065.848.468.8

CENX — Pillar Breakdown

Quality

44.5/100 (25%)

Century Aluminum Company has average quality metrics, with room for improvement in margins or capital efficiency.

Capital Efficiency (ROIC)Moderate

How effectively capital is deployed to generate returns.

Return on EquityStrong

Profitability relative to shareholders' equity.

Operating ProfitabilityWeak

Ability to convert revenue into operating profit.

Net ProfitabilityStrong

Bottom-line profit as a share of revenue.

Gross Profit / AssetsWeak

Asset productivity — how much gross profit each dollar of assets generates.

Cash GenerationWeak

Free cash flow relative to market value.

Growth

55.9/100 (20%)

Century Aluminum Company demonstrates healthy growth trends across revenue and earnings.

Recent Revenue TrendModerate

Revenue trajectory over the last twelve months.

3Y Revenue CAGRWeak

Compound annual revenue growth rate over 3 years.

EPS GrowthWeak

Year-over-year earnings per share growth.

Forward Revenue OutlookStrong

Analyst consensus for future revenue growth.

Forward EPS GrowthStrong

Analyst consensus for future earnings growth.

Risk

62.2/100 (15%)

Century Aluminum Company maintains a reasonable risk profile with manageable debt levels.

Financial LeverageModerate

Debt levels relative to earnings capacity.

Debt/EquityStrong

Total debt relative to shareholder equity.

Current RatioStrong

Short-term liquidity — ability to pay near-term obligations.

Interest CoverageWeak

Earnings capacity relative to interest payments.

Valuation

55.0/100 (15%)

Century Aluminum Company trades at a reasonable valuation with decent earnings yield and FCF multiples.

Earnings YieldStrong

Inverse of forward P/E — higher yield means cheaper stock.

Price to Free Cash FlowWeak

How many years of FCF the market cap represents.

PEG RatioStrong

P/E relative to earnings growth — lower is more attractive.

EV/EBITDA vs SectorWeak

Enterprise value multiple relative to sector median.

Moat

17/100 (25%)

Century Aluminum Company operates in a highly competitive environment with limited sustainable advantages. The Moat pillar evaluates competitive advantages across five dimensions: Switching Costs, Network Effects, Cost Advantage, Intangible Assets, and Scale & Ecosystem. Sign in to customize moat ratings for CENX.

Score Composition

Quality
44.5×25%11.1
Growth
55.9×20%11.2
Risk
62.2×15%9.3
Valuation
55.0×15%8.3
Moat
17.0×25%4.3
Total
44.1Below Average

Financial Data

More Stock Analysis

How is the CENX UQS Score Calculated?

The UQS (Unified Quality Score) for Century Aluminum Company is calculated using a proprietary 6-pillar framework with 29 financial metrics. Each pillar evaluates a different dimension on a 0–100 scale, then combines into a single weighted score. Scoring thresholds are calibrated per sector. Momentum is an optional Pro toggle — without it, you get the 5-pillar / 25-metric core shown below.

Quality (25%) measures profitability and capital efficiency — ROIC, ROE, margins, GP/Assets, and FCF Yield.

Moat (25%) assesses Century Aluminum Company's competitive advantages across switching costs, network effects, cost advantages, intangible assets, and ecosystem scale.

Growth (20%) tracks revenue trajectory and earnings momentum, combining historical results with analyst forward estimates.

Risk (15%) is inversely scored — lower leverage and strong balance sheet health result in higher scores.

Valuation (15%) measures whether Century Aluminum Company is fairly priced using earnings yield, price-to-FCF, PEG ratio, and EV/EBITDA relative to sector peers.

Six investor-inspired presets are available, each with different pillar weights: Balanced, Buffett, Munger, Lynch, Cathie Wood, and Graham. The public score shown here uses the Balanced preset. Learn more in our FAQ.