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AEP vs. NI: American Electric Power vs. NiSource Stock Comparison

How do American Electric Power (AEP) and NiSource (NI) 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

American Electric Power (AEP) and NiSource (NI) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but AEP is classified in Electric Utilities while NI is classified in Multi-Utilities.

Company profile comparison for American Electric Power (AEP) and NiSource (NI)
Profile ItemAEPNI
NameAmerican Electric Power Company, Inc.NiSource Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryElectric UtilitiesMulti-Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryElectric UtilitiesMulti-Utilities
Market Capitalization68.90 billion USD21.18 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateJanuary 2, 1962February 21, 1973
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

AEP
NI
GSPC
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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. NiSource (NI), 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 American Electric Power (AEP) and NiSource (NI). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for American Electric Power (AEP) and NiSource (NI). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for American Electric Power (AEP) and NiSource (NI)
MetricAEPNI
Total Return (1Y)8.60%6.11%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)22.18%25.66%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)12.81%16.11%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

AEP
NI
GSPC
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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. NiSource (NI), 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 American Electric Power (AEP) and NiSource (NI). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for American Electric Power (AEP) and NiSource (NI)
MetricAEPNI
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)18.45%18.23%
Beta (5Y)0.460.53
Max Drawdown (5Y)-29.56%-24.76%
Avg. Volume (3M)3.64M5.64M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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AEP and NI 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 American Electric Power (AEP) and NiSource (NI)
MetricAEPNI
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.230.10
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.330.14

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both American Electric Power (AEP) at 10.60% and NiSource (NI) at 8.71% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

AEP

Utilities industry group

10.60%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
AEP
10.60%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%

NI

Utilities industry group

8.71%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
NI
8.71%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. NiSource (NI): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both American Electric Power (AEP) at 14.21% and NiSource (NI) at 13.51% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

AEP

Utilities industry group

14.21%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
AEP
14.21%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%

NI

Utilities industry group

13.51%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
NI
13.51%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%
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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. NiSource (NI): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both American Electric Power (AEP) at 26.89% and NiSource (NI) at 25.20% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

AEP

Utilities industry group

26.89%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
AEP
26.89%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%

NI

Utilities industry group

25.20%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
NI
25.20%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%
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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. NiSource (NI): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for American Electric Power (AEP) and NiSource (NI)
MetricAEPNI
ROE (TTM)10.60%8.71%
ROA (TTM)3.04%3.25%
Net Margin (TTM)14.21%13.51%
Operating Margin (TTM)26.89%25.20%
Gross Margin (TTM)46.62%50.92%

Growth

Revenue Growth

NiSource (NI) at 21.76% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while American Electric Power (AEP) at 10.93% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for NI.

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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. NiSource (NI): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

NiSource (NI) at 20.37% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while American Electric Power (AEP) at 19.35% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for NI.

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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. NiSource (NI): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for American Electric Power (AEP) and NiSource (NI)
MetricAEPNI
Revenue Growth (YoY)10.93%21.76%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)3.66%4.32%
EPS Growth (YoY)19.35%20.37%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)14.04%4.68%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both American Electric Power (AEP) at 0.51 and NiSource (NI) at 0.50 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

AEP

Utilities industry group

0.51

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
AEP
0.51
Min
0.29

NI

Utilities industry group

0.50

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
NI
0.50
Min
0.29
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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. NiSource (NI): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both American Electric Power (AEP) at 1.62 and NiSource (NI) at 1.53 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

AEP

Utilities industry group

1.62

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
AEP
1.62
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00

NI

Utilities industry group

1.53

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
NI
1.53
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00
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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. NiSource (NI): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for American Electric Power (AEP) and NiSource (NI)
MetricAEPNI
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.510.50
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.621.53
Net Debt / EBITDA5.765.87

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both American Electric Power (AEP) at 3.00% and NiSource (NI) at 0.68% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

AEP

Utilities industry group

3.00%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
AEP
3.00%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%

NI

Utilities industry group

0.68%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
NI
0.68%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%
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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. NiSource (NI): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both American Electric Power (AEP) at 62.09% and NiSource (NI) at 60.51% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

AEP

Utilities industry group

62.09%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
AEP
62.09%
Median
56.38%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%

NI

Utilities industry group

60.51%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
NI
60.51%
Median
56.38%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%
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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. NiSource (NI): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for American Electric Power (AEP) and NiSource (NI)
MetricAEPNI
Dividend Yield (TTM)3.00%0.68%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)62.09%60.51%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both American Electric Power (AEP) at 20.67 and NiSource (NI) at 22.64 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

AEP

Utilities industry group

20.67

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
AEP
20.67
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34

NI

Utilities industry group

22.64

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
NI
22.64
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34
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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. NiSource (NI): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both American Electric Power (AEP) at 2.92 and NiSource (NI) at 3.04 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

AEP

Utilities industry group

2.92

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
AEP
2.92
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00

NI

Utilities industry group

3.04

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
NI
3.04
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00
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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. NiSource (NI): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both American Electric Power (AEP) at 2.10 and NiSource (NI) at 2.21 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

AEP

Utilities industry group

2.10

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
AEP
2.10
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34

NI

Utilities industry group

2.21

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
NI
2.21
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34
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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. NiSource (NI): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for American Electric Power (AEP) and NiSource (NI)
MetricAEPNI
P/E Ratio (TTM)20.6722.64
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.923.04
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.102.21
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-11.28%-10.51%