Blue-chip stocks are having a field day this year as the bellwether Straits Times Index (SGX: ^STI) hit a 17-year high recently. However, two blue-chip stocks, Keppel Ltd (SGX: BN4) and Sembcorp Industries (SGX: U96), or SCI, displayed a lacklustre performance. Keppel saw its share price dip by 6.8% year-to-date (YTD) while SCI’s share price has inched up just 1.9% YTD. Both companies have detailed their long-term strategic plans in their Investor Day releases. These initiatives should provide investors with the confidence that they can do well in the future. So, which of these blue-chip stocks is a more compelling buy? We compare them across various financial metrics. Financial performance First, let’s look at each company’s financials for the first half of 2024 (1H 2024). Keppel and SCI both saw year-on-year declines in revenue. For Keppel, both its infrastructure and real estate divisions saw revenue fall by 10% and 44% year on year, respectively....