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Green Plains Inc. (NASDAQ: GPRE) will release second quarter 2026 financial results prior to the market opening on August 6, 2026, and then host a conference ca

Green Plains (GPRE) saw its shares surge in the last session with trading volume being higher than average. The latest trend in earnings estimate revisions may not translate into further price increase in the near term.

Posted by Defense World Staff on Apr 11th, 2026

Green Plains (NASDAQ:GPRE – Get Free Report) and American Vanguard (NYSE:AVD – Get Free Report) are both small-cap basic materials companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, earnings, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, dividends, valuation and risk.

Risk and Volatility Green Plains has a beta of 1.31, meaning that its stock price is 31% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, American Vanguard has a beta of 1.42, meaning that its stock price is 42% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Institutional & Insider Ownership 79.0% of American Vanguard shares are owned by institutional investors. 1.0% of Green Plains shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 7.6% of American Vanguard shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Analyst Recommendations This is a summary of current ratings and target prices for Green Plains and American Vanguard, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Green Plains 2 4 3 0 2.11 American Vanguard 1 0 1 0 2.00 Green Plains currently has a consensus target price of $13.29, suggesting a potential downside of 12.77%. American Vanguard has a consensus target price of $12.00, suggesting a potential upside of 411.73%. Given American Vanguard’s higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe American Vanguard is more favorable than Green Plains.

Valuation and Earnings This table compares Green Plains and American Vanguard”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Green Plains $2.09 billion 0.51 -$121.28 million ($1.89) -8.06 American Vanguard $515.11 million 0.13 -$49.88 million ($1.75) -1.34 American Vanguard has lower revenue, but higher earnings than Green Plains. Green Plains is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than American Vanguard, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Profitability This table compares Green Plains and American Vanguard’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Green Plains -5.80% -8.70% -4.21% American Vanguard -9.68% -5.13% -1.76% Summary American Vanguard beats Green Plains on 9 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Green Plains (Get Free Report)

Green Plains Inc. produces low-carbon fuels in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: Ethanol Production, Agribusiness and Energy Services, and Partnership. The Ethanol Production segment produces ethanol, distillers grains, and ultra-high protein and renewable corn oil. The Agribusiness and Energy Services segment engages in the grain procurement, handling and storage, commodity marketing business; and trading of ethanol, distiller grains, renewable corn oil, grain, natural gas, and other commodities in various markets. This segment also provides grain drying and storage services to grain producers. The Partnership segment offers fuel storage and transportation services. It operates 24 ethanol storage facilities; two fuel terminal facilities; and a fleet of approximately 2,180 leased railcars. The company was formerly known as Green Plains Renewable Energy, Inc. and changed its name to Green Plains Inc. in May 2014. Green Plains Inc. was incorporated in 2004 and is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.

About American Vanguard (Get Free Report)

American Vanguard Corporation, through its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and markets specialty chemicals for agricultural, commercial, and consumer uses in the United States and internationally. It manufactures and formulates chemicals, including insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, soil health, plant nutrition, molluscicides, growth regulators, soil fumigants, and biorationals in liquid, powder, and granular forms for crops, turf and ornamental plants, and human and animal health protection. The company also markets, sells, and distributes end-use chemical and biological products for crop applications; and distributes chemicals for turf and ornamental markets. It distributes its products through national distribution companies, and buying groups or co-operatives; and through sales offices, sales force executives, sales agents, and wholly owned distributors. American Vanguard Corporation was incorporated in 1969 and is headquartered in Newport Beach, California.

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OMAHA, Neb.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Green Plains Inc. (NASDAQ:GPRE) will release first quarter 2026 financial results prior to the market opening on May 7, 2026, and then host a conference call beginning at 9 a.m. Eastern time (8 a.m. Central time) to discuss first quarter 2026 performance and outlook. Domestic and international participants can access the conference call by dialing 888.210.4215 and 646.960.0269, respectively, and referencing conference ID 5027523. Participants are advised to call at.

OMAHA, Neb.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Green Plains Inc. (NASDAQ: GPRE) today announced that Ann Reis, Chief Financial Officer and Will Joekel, Vice President & Treasurer, will participate in a fireside chat at the BMO Farm to Market Chemicals Conference on Wednesday, May 13 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time (1:00 p.m. Central Time). Additionally, the company will be participating in meetings with institutional investors during the conference. The live webcast, as well as the replay, will be available on th.

Green Plains Renewable Energy (GPRE - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.42 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.01 per share. This compares to a loss of $0.88 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +4,300.00%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this ethanol production, marketing and commodities company would post earnings of $0.08 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.17, delivering a surprise of +112.5%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times.

Green Plains, which belongs to the Zacks Chemical - Specialty industry, posted revenues of $445.8 million for the quarter ended March 2026, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.95%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $601.52 million. The company has not been able to beat consensus revenue estimates over the last four quarters.

The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.

Green Plains shares have added about 73.2% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 7.6%.

What's Next for Green Plains?While Green Plains has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?

There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.

Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.

Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Green Plains was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.23 on $504.8 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $0.78 on $1.97 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Chemical - Specialty is currently in the bottom 38% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

One other stock from the same industry, Flexible Solutions International Inc. (FSI - Free Report) , is yet to report results for the quarter ended March 2026.

This company is expected to post quarterly loss of $0.05 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -150%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 41.7% lower over the last 30 days to the current level.

Flexible Solutions International Inc.'s revenues are expected to be $9.85 million, up 31.9% from the year-ago quarter.

Momentum investors typically don't time the market or "buy low and sell high." In other words, they avoid betting on cheap stocks and waiting long for them to recover. Instead, they believe that "buying high and selling higher" is the way to make far more money in lesser time.

Who doesn't like betting on fast-moving trending stocks? But determining the right entry point isn't easy. Often, these stocks lose momentum once their valuation moves ahead of their future growth potential. In such a situation, investors find themselves loaded up on expensive shares with limited to no upside or even a downside. So, going all-in on momentum could be risky at times.

It could be safer to invest in bargain stocks that have been witnessing price momentum recently. While the Zacks Momentum Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to trends in a stock's price or earnings, is pretty useful in identifying great momentum stocks, our 'Fast-Paced Momentum at a Bargain' screen comes handy in spotting fast-moving stocks that are still attractively priced.

There are several stocks that currently pass through the screen and Green Plains Renewable Energy (GPRE - Free Report) is one of them. Here are the key reasons why this stock is a great candidate.

A dash of recent price momentum reflects growing interest of investors in a stock. With a four-week price change of 9.4%, the stock of this ethanol production, marketing and commodities company is certainly well-positioned in this regard.

While any stock can see a spike in price for a short period, it takes a real momentum player to deliver positive returns for a longer time frame. GPRE meets this criterion too, as the stock gained 25.2% over the past 12 weeks.

Moreover, the momentum for GPRE is fast paced, as the stock currently has a beta of 1.24. This indicates that the stock moves 24% higher than the market in either direction.

Given this price performance, it is no surprise that GPRE has a Momentum Score of A, which indicates that this is the right time to enter the stock to take advantage of the momentum with the highest probability of success.

In addition to a favorable Momentum Score, an upward trend in earnings estimate revisions has helped GPRE earn a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Our research shows that the momentum-effect is quite strong among Zacks Rank #1 and #2 stocks. That's because as covering analysts raise their earnings estimates for a stock, more and more investors take an interest in it, helping its price race to keep up. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>

Most importantly, despite possessing fast-paced momentum features, GPRE is trading at a reasonable valuation. In terms of Price-to-Sales ratio, which is considered as one of the best valuation metrics, the stock looks quite cheap now. GPRE is currently trading at 0.62 times its sales. In other words, investors need to pay only 62 cents for each dollar of sales.

So, GPRE appears to have plenty of room to run, and that too at a fast pace.

In addition to GPRE, there are several other stocks that currently pass through our 'Fast-Paced Momentum at a Bargain' screen. You may consider investing in them and start looking for the newest stocks that fit these criteria.

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6 best ethanol stocks to buy nowGreen Plains NASDAQ: GPRE executives said the company’s recent performance has been driven by tighter operating discipline, a simplified business structure and new opportunities tied to carbon capture and federal biofuels incentives.

Speaking at a company event, Chief Financial Officer Ann Reis said Chief Executive Officer Chris Osowski has brought an operations-focused approach that has improved plant performance and utilization. Reis said Green Plains raised total production capacity at the end of the fourth quarter and operated at 97% utilization in the first quarter, a level she said the company believes it can continue to meet or exceed.

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Reis said the company has also emphasized more disciplined decision-making across finance, hedging and corn procurement, describing Green Plains as focused on becoming “a data-driven organization.” She added that efforts to simplify the business by removing areas that were not generating strong returns have helped the company return to its core operations.

Biofuels Policy and E15 Remain Key Themes Reis said ethanol margins remain supported by industry fundamentals rather than primarily by geopolitical events. While markets have fluctuated around developments in the Middle East, she said Green Plains is still seeing “good margins” heading into the summer driving season.

On E15, Reis said she views broader approval as “a matter of when, not a matter of if.” She noted that E15 is already common in much of the Midwest and can offer consumers meaningful savings at the pump, citing a range of about $0.15 to $0.40 per gallon in some markets.

Reis emphasized that E15 legislation would create an option, not a mandate, and said fuel blenders have sought more consistency rather than relying on emergency waivers each summer. She acknowledged opposition tied to small refinery exemptions, but said she believes the policy has broad bipartisan support.

If nationwide E15 is approved, Reis said adoption would likely vary by region. Some geographies are prepared and could move quickly, while others would require a slower rollout as retailers upgrade infrastructure and consumers increasingly demand lower-cost fuel.

45Z Credits and Carbon Capture Lift Outlook Vice President and Treasurer Will Yeakel said Green Plains’ updated expectations for 45Z tax credit contributions were supported by its first full quarter operating compression equipment at three Nebraska facilities connected to the Trailblazer Pipeline. He said the company wanted to prove out the equipment and gather data before raising guidance.

Yeakel said the higher outlook applies to the full plant network, not only the Nebraska assets. He said all of Green Plains’ plants are currently capturing 45Z credits, with the Nebraska facilities benefiting from carbon capture capabilities.

Reis said the company sees additional ways to lower carbon intensity scores, including potential benefits from feedstock-related provisions once final guidance and calculators are released. She said Green Plains may be able to work directly with farmers in Nebraska and Iowa to gather information on fertilizer use and farming practices.

Reis also pointed to energy efficiency as a priority, saying electricity and natural gas use are important inputs in 45Z calculations. She said reducing energy consumption would help lower carbon intensity while also making plants less costly to operate after the current credit period.

Industry Capacity, Exports and Corn Oil Demand Reis said the industry has seen production increases, but she expects most additions to come through debottlenecking or smaller projects rather than new plant construction. She cited the current 45Z runway, which she said still ends in 2029, as a limiting factor for large new investments.

She said incremental ethanol production is being absorbed in part by export demand, naming Canada, the U.K., India and the Netherlands as important or growing markets. Reis said she is not overly concerned about Canada-related trade risk, noting that Canada does not have enough domestic production to meet its mandates.

On distillers corn oil, Yeakel said prices had strengthened even before the Renewable Volume Obligation was released and have remained supported. He said customers have shown more willingness to extend coverage, which could allow Green Plains to put longer-dated agreements in place for a growing component of gross margin.

Asset Base, Specialty Products and Capital Allocation Reis said Green Plains does not intend to shrink further after actions taken last year to right-size the business. She said the company is focused first on optimizing its existing assets, including projects that reduce energy consumption and improve production. She cited a low-energy distillation process at the York facility as one example discussed on the company’s first-quarter earnings call.

Yeakel said Green Plains’ Ultra-High Protein business remains a strong product with positive customer feedback, though it now has a smaller footprint following simplification efforts. He said the smaller footprint has allowed the company to be more intentional with customers.

Clean Sugar is lower on the priority list for now. Yeakel said Green Plains has higher-return opportunities within its existing business, while Reis added that Clean Sugar does not currently have an approved 45Z pathway. Because the process diverts part of the grind stream away from ethanol production, Reis said it does not make sense from a revenue perspective while 45Z is available.

Looking at capital allocation, Yeakel said stronger demand and 45Z incentives give Green Plains clearer visibility into sustainable cash flow than it has had in some time. He said priorities include investing in plants that have been underinvested while the company was capital constrained. He also said deleveraging, share repurchases and other balance sheet actions could be considered, but it is too early to provide a specific framework until the company has a better view of run-rate earnings.

Reis said the company’s focus is on operational excellence and using data to evaluate capital projects. “We’re going to let the math speak for itself,” she said.

About Green Plains NASDAQ: GPREGreen Plains Inc is a leading producer of fuel-grade ethanol and related co-products in the United States. Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, the company operates an integrated network of biorefineries that convert corn and other grains into renewable fuels. Through its production facilities, Green Plains supplies ethanol to domestic fuel markets and export channels, supporting efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote cleaner-burning transportation options.

Beyond ethanol, Green Plains manufactures a range of co-products that add value throughout the agricultural supply chain.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].

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Green Plains Renewable Energy (GPRE - Free Report) could be a solid addition to your portfolio given its recent upgrade to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). An upward trend in earnings estimates -- one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices -- has triggered this rating change.

The sole determinant of the Zacks rating is a company's changing earnings picture. The Zacks Consensus Estimate -- the consensus of EPS estimates from the sell-side analysts covering the stock -- for the current and following years is tracked by the system.

The power of a changing earnings picture in determining near-term stock price movements makes the Zacks rating system highly useful for individual investors, since it can be difficult to make decisions based on rating upgrades by Wall Street analysts. These are mostly driven by subjective factors that are hard to see and measure in real time.

As such, the Zacks rating upgrade for Green Plains is essentially a positive comment on its earnings outlook that could have a favorable impact on its stock price.

Most Powerful Force Impacting Stock PricesThe change in a company's future earnings potential, as reflected in earnings estimate revisions, has proven to be strongly correlated with the near-term price movement of its stock. That's partly because of the influence of institutional investors that use earnings and earnings estimates for calculating the fair value of a company's shares. An increase or decrease in earnings estimates in their valuation models simply results in higher or lower fair value for a stock, and institutional investors typically buy or sell it. Their bulk investment action then leads to price movement for the stock.

For Green Plains, rising earnings estimates and the consequent rating upgrade fundamentally mean an improvement in the company's underlying business. And investors' appreciation of this improving business trend should push the stock higher.

Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate RevisionsEmpirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock movements, so it could be truly rewarding if such revisions are tracked for making an investment decision. Here is where the tried-and-tested Zacks Rank stock-rating system plays an important role, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions.

The Zacks Rank stock-rating system, which uses four factors related to earnings estimates to classify stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive externally-audited track record, with Zacks Rank #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .

Earnings Estimate Revisions for Green PlainsThis ethanol production, marketing and commodities company is expected to earn $2.10 per share for the fiscal year ending December 2026, which represents no year-over-year change.

Analysts have been steadily raising their estimates for Green Plains. Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company has increased 359.9%.

Bottom LineUnlike the overly optimistic Wall Street analysts whose rating systems tend to be weighted toward favorable recommendations, the Zacks rating system maintains an equal proportion of "buy" and "sell" ratings for its entire universe of more than 4,000 stocks at any point in time. Irrespective of market conditions, only the top 5% of the Zacks-covered stocks get a "Strong Buy" rating and the next 15% get a "Buy" rating. So, the placement of a stock in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks indicates its superior earnings estimate revision feature, making it a solid candidate for producing market-beating returns in the near term.

You can learn more about the Zacks Rank here >>>

The upgrade of Green Plains to a Zacks Rank #1 positions it in the top 5% of the Zacks-covered stocks in terms of estimate revisions, implying that the stock might move higher in the near term.