Darling Ingredients (DAR) vs Post (POST)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 9, 2026.
Summary
Darling Ingredients (DAR) has outperformed Post (POST) over the past year, gaining 97.4% versus a loss of 30.3%. Over five years, POST leads with a +7.6% price change compared with -16.2% for DAR. Darling Ingredients is the larger company by market cap ($9.50 billion vs $3.27 billion), about 2.9 times the size.
On valuation, Darling Ingredients trades at a lower forward P/E (9.6x vs 10.3x for Post). Post converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 4.1% versus 1.0%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | DAR | POST |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $60.21 | $74.43 |
| Market cap | $9.50B | $3.27B |
| 1-day change | -3.28% | +0.26% |
| YTD return | +72.92% | -25.06% |
| 1-year return | +97.37% | -30.32% |
| 5-year return | -16.17% | +7.62% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 16.23 | 13.53 |
| Forward P/E | 9.57 | 10.35 |
| EPS (TTM) | $3.71 | $5.50 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $6.14B | $8.16B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +7.36% | +2.97% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $62.80M | $335.70M |
| Gross margin | 24.01% | 28.68% |
| Operating margin | 4.46% | 9.80% |
| Net margin | 1.02% | 4.11% |
| 52-week high | $69.98 | $117.28 |
| 52-week low | $29.15 | $71.45 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -13.96% | -36.54% |
| Analyst consensus | strong_buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +35.49% | +39.74% |
| Average volume | 2.35M | 940.02K |
| Shares outstanding | 157.80M | 43.96M |
| Employees | 15,000 | 13,180 |
| Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Staples |
| Industry | Packaged Foods | Packaged Foods |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Darling Ingredients is about 2.9 times larger than Post by market value ($9.50B vs $3.27B).
- DAR has outperformed POST by 127.7 percentage points over the past year.
About Darling Ingredients
DAR stock →Darling Ingredients Inc. develops, produces, and sells sustainable natural ingredients from edible and inedible bio-nutrients in North America, Europe, China, South America, and internationally.
Consumer Staples · Packaged Foods · 15,000 employees
About Post
POST stock →Post Holdings, Inc. operates as a consumer packaged goods holding company in the United States and internationally.
Consumer Staples · Packaged Foods · 13,180 employees
DAR vs POST FAQ
Which is bigger, Darling Ingredients or Post?
Darling Ingredients (DAR) is larger, with a market capitalization of $9.50B compared with $3.27B for Post (POST).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, DAR or POST?
DAR returned +97.37% over the past 12 months, compared with -30.32% for POST (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, DAR or POST?
POST has the lower trailing P/E at 13.5, versus 16.2 for DAR. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Are Darling Ingredients and Post in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Packaged Foods industry within the Consumer Staples sector.