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AEE vs. ATO: Ameren vs. Atmos Energy Stock Comparison

How do Ameren (AEE) and Atmos Energy (ATO) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Ameren (AEE) and Atmos Energy (ATO) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but AEE is classified in Multi-Utilities while ATO is classified in Gas Utilities.

Company profile comparison for Ameren (AEE) and Atmos Energy (ATO)
Profile ItemAEEATO
NameAmeren CorporationAtmos Energy Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryMulti-UtilitiesGas Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryMulti-UtilitiesGas Utilities
Market Capitalization31.24 billion USD29.27 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJanuary 2, 1998December 28, 1983
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

AEE
ATO
GSPC
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Ameren (AEE) vs. Atmos Energy (ATO), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Ameren (AEE) and Atmos Energy (ATO). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Ameren (AEE) and Atmos Energy (ATO). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Ameren (AEE) and Atmos Energy (ATO)
MetricAEEATO
Total Return (1Y)11.92%0.43%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)17.94%18.83%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)9.71%16.10%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

AEE
ATO
GSPC
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Ameren (AEE) vs. Atmos Energy (ATO), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Ameren (AEE) and Atmos Energy (ATO). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Ameren (AEE) and Atmos Energy (ATO)
MetricAEEATO
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)17.76%16.06%
Beta (5Y)0.400.55
Max Drawdown (5Y)-27.46%-19.08%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.74M1.03M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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AEE and ATO are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Ameren (AEE) and Atmos Energy (ATO)
MetricAEEATO
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.43-0.24
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.62-0.34

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Ameren (AEE) at 11.78% and Atmos Energy (ATO) at 9.79% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

AEE

Utilities industry group

11.78%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
AEE
11.78%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%

ATO

Utilities industry group

9.79%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
ATO
9.79%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
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Ameren (AEE) vs. Atmos Energy (ATO): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Ameren (AEE) at 18.59% and Atmos Energy (ATO) at 28.50% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

AEE

Utilities industry group

18.59%

Max
28.78%
AEE
18.59%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%

ATO

Utilities industry group

28.50%

Max
28.78%
ATO
28.50%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%
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Ameren (AEE) vs. Atmos Energy (ATO): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Ameren (AEE) at 31.23% and Atmos Energy (ATO) at 37.22% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

AEE

Utilities industry group

31.23%

Max
53.83%
AEE
31.23%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%

ATO

Utilities industry group

37.22%

Max
53.83%
ATO
37.22%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%
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Ameren (AEE) vs. Atmos Energy (ATO): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Ameren (AEE) and Atmos Energy (ATO)
MetricAEEATO
ROE (TTM)11.78%9.79%
ROA (TTM)3.12%3.89%
Net Margin (TTM)18.59%28.50%
Operating Margin (TTM)31.23%37.22%
Gross Margin (TTM)52.47%62.21%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Ameren (AEE) at 15.43% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Atmos Energy (ATO) at 12.91% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for AEE.

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Ameren (AEE) vs. Atmos Energy (ATO): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Ameren (AEE) at 21.04% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Atmos Energy (ATO) at 9.22% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for AEE.

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Ameren (AEE) vs. Atmos Energy (ATO): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Ameren (AEE) and Atmos Energy (ATO)
MetricAEEATO
Revenue Growth (YoY)15.43%12.91%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)3.41%3.83%
EPS Growth (YoY)21.04%9.22%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)8.92%10.03%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Ameren (AEE) at 0.74 and Atmos Energy (ATO) at 0.81 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

AEE

Utilities industry group

0.74

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
AEE
0.74
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29

ATO

Utilities industry group

0.81

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
ATO
0.81
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29
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Ameren (AEE) vs. Atmos Energy (ATO): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Atmos Energy (ATO) at 0.68 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while Ameren (AEE) at 1.57 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

AEE

Utilities industry group

1.57

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
AEE
1.57
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00

ATO

Utilities industry group

0.68

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
ATO
0.68
Min
0.00
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Ameren (AEE) vs. Atmos Energy (ATO): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Ameren (AEE) and Atmos Energy (ATO)
MetricAEEATO
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.740.81
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.570.68
Net Debt / EBITDA5.553.74

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Atmos Energy (ATO) at 2.21% pays a yield in its industry’s typical range, while Ameren (AEE) at 0.63% falls in the bottom quartile of its peers.

AEE

Utilities industry group

0.63%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
AEE
0.63%
Min
0.00%

ATO

Utilities industry group

2.21%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
ATO
2.21%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%
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Ameren (AEE) vs. Atmos Energy (ATO): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Ameren (AEE) at 51.48% and Atmos Energy (ATO) at 46.13% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

AEE

Utilities industry group

51.48%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
AEE
51.48%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%

ATO

Utilities industry group

46.13%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
ATO
46.13%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%
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Ameren (AEE) vs. Atmos Energy (ATO): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Ameren (AEE) and Atmos Energy (ATO)
MetricAEEATO
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.63%2.21%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)51.48%46.13%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Ameren (AEE) at 19.63 and Atmos Energy (ATO) at 20.65 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

AEE

Utilities industry group

19.63

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
Median
19.64
AEE
19.63
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34

ATO

Utilities industry group

20.65

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
ATO
20.65
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34
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Ameren (AEE) vs. Atmos Energy (ATO): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Ameren (AEE) at 3.63 and Atmos Energy (ATO) at 5.95 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

AEE

Utilities industry group

3.63

Max
6.35
AEE
3.63
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00

ATO

Utilities industry group

5.95

Max
6.35
ATO
5.95
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00
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Ameren (AEE) vs. Atmos Energy (ATO): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Ameren (AEE) at 2.20 and Atmos Energy (ATO) at 1.92 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

AEE

Utilities industry group

2.20

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
AEE
2.20
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34

ATO

Utilities industry group

1.92

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
ATO
1.92
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34
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Ameren (AEE) vs. Atmos Energy (ATO): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Ameren (AEE) and Atmos Energy (ATO)
MetricAEEATO
P/E Ratio (TTM)19.6320.65
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.635.95
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.201.92
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-8.06%-7.59%