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AEE vs. NRG: Ameren vs. NRG Energy Stock Comparison

How do Ameren (AEE) and NRG Energy (NRG) 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 NRG Energy (NRG) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but AEE is classified in Multi-Utilities while NRG is classified in Electric Utilities.

Company profile comparison for Ameren (AEE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
Profile ItemAEENRG
NameAmeren CorporationNRG Energy, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryMulti-UtilitiesElectric Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryMulti-UtilitiesElectric Utilities
Market Capitalization31.24 billion USD18.56 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJanuary 2, 1998December 2, 2003
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

AEE
NRG
GSPC
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Ameren (AEE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG), 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 NRG Energy (NRG). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Ameren (AEE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricAEENRG
Total Return (1Y)11.92%-43.14%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)17.94%31.18%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)9.71%25.79%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

AEE
NRG
GSPC
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Ameren (AEE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG), 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 NRG Energy (NRG). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Ameren (AEE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricAEENRG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)17.76%52.51%
Beta (5Y)0.401.20
Max Drawdown (5Y)-27.46%-55.72%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.74M3.15M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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AEE and NRG 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 NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricAEENRG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.43-0.90
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.62-1.19

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

NRG Energy (NRG) at 23.77% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than Ameren (AEE) at 11.78%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

AEE

Utilities industry group

11.78%

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

NRG

Utilities industry group

23.77%

NRG
23.77%
Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
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Ameren (AEE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Ameren (AEE) at 18.59% keeps a top-quartile share of each sales dollar as profit, while NRG Energy (NRG) at 2.56% keeps a bottom-quartile share.

AEE

Utilities industry group

18.59%

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

NRG

Utilities industry group

2.56%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
NRG
2.56%
Min
-0.20%
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Ameren (AEE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Ameren (AEE) at 31.23% carries a top-quartile operating margin, while NRG Energy (NRG) at 12.77% operates in the bottom quartile.

AEE

Utilities industry group

31.23%

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

NRG

Utilities industry group

12.77%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
NRG
12.77%
Min
-4.90%
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Ameren (AEE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Ameren (AEE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricAEENRG
ROE (TTM)11.78%23.77%
ROA (TTM)3.12%4.06%
Net Margin (TTM)18.59%2.56%
Operating Margin (TTM)31.23%12.77%
Gross Margin (TTM)52.47%18.80%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Ameren (AEE) at 15.43% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while NRG Energy (NRG) at 9.18% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for AEE.

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Ameren (AEE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): 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 NRG Energy (NRG) at -19.64% is in the bottom quartile, showing a clear gap in earnings momentum.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Ameren (AEE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricAEENRG
Revenue Growth (YoY)15.43%9.18%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)3.41%-0.88%
EPS Growth (YoY)21.04%-19.64%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)8.92%-8.12%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Ameren (AEE) at 0.74 and NRG Energy (NRG) at 0.97 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

NRG

Utilities industry group

0.97

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
NRG
0.97
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29
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Ameren (AEE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Ameren (AEE) at 1.57 is near its industry mid-range for debt-to-equity ratio, while NRG Energy (NRG) at 4.83 sits above its benchmark range, pointing to a heavier debt load relative to equity.

AEE

Utilities industry group

1.57

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

NRG

Utilities industry group

4.83

NRG
4.83
Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00
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Ameren (AEE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Ameren (AEE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricAEENRG
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.740.97
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.574.83
Net Debt / EBITDA5.557.16

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

NRG Energy (NRG) at 2.32% 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%

NRG

Utilities industry group

2.32%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
NRG
2.32%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%
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Ameren (AEE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Ameren (AEE) at 51.48% and NRG Energy (NRG) at 47.91% 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%

NRG

Utilities industry group

47.91%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
NRG
47.91%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%
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Ameren (AEE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Ameren (AEE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricAEENRG
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.63%2.32%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)51.48%47.91%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Ameren (AEE) at 19.63 and NRG Energy (NRG) at 23.11 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

NRG

Utilities industry group

23.11

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
NRG
23.11
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34
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Ameren (AEE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

NRG Energy (NRG) at 0.56 looks cheap on sales in the lower P/S ratio quartile, while Ameren (AEE) at 3.63 looks rich in the upper quartile — a clear gap in price per dollar of revenue.

AEE

Utilities industry group

3.63

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

NRG

Utilities industry group

0.56

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
NRG
0.56
Min
0.00
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Ameren (AEE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Ameren (AEE) at 2.20 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while NRG Energy (NRG) at 4.42 prices above its benchmark range — NRG looks rich relative to book.

AEE

Utilities industry group

2.20

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

NRG

Utilities industry group

4.42

NRG
4.42
Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34
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Ameren (AEE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Ameren (AEE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricAEENRG
P/E Ratio (TTM)19.6323.11
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.630.56
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.204.42
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-8.06%4.16%