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AEP vs. SRE: American Electric Power vs. Sempra Stock Comparison

How do American Electric Power (AEP) and Sempra (SRE) 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 Sempra (SRE) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but AEP is classified in Electric Utilities while SRE is classified in Multi-Utilities.

Company profile comparison for American Electric Power (AEP) and Sempra (SRE)
Profile ItemAEPSRE
NameAmerican Electric Power Company, Inc.Sempra
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryElectric UtilitiesMulti-Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryElectric UtilitiesMulti-Utilities
Market Capitalization68.90 billion USD51.13 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateJanuary 2, 1962June 29, 1998
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

AEP
SRE
GSPC
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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. Sempra (SRE), 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 Sempra (SRE). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for American Electric Power (AEP) and Sempra (SRE). 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 Sempra (SRE)
MetricAEPSRE
Total Return (1Y)8.60%-13.10%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)22.18%7.68%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)12.81%8.14%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

AEP
SRE
GSPC
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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. Sempra (SRE), 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 Sempra (SRE). 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 Sempra (SRE)
MetricAEPSRE
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)18.45%21.00%
Beta (5Y)0.460.57
Max Drawdown (5Y)-29.56%-31.62%
Avg. Volume (3M)3.64M3.90M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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AEP and SRE 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 Sempra (SRE)
MetricAEPSRE
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.23-0.83
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.33-1.07

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both American Electric Power (AEP) at 10.60% and Sempra (SRE) at 8.73% 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%

SRE

Utilities industry group

8.73%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
SRE
8.73%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. Sempra (SRE): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Sempra (SRE) at 22.53% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of American Electric Power (AEP) at 14.21%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

AEP

Utilities industry group

14.21%

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

SRE

Utilities industry group

22.53%

Max
28.78%
SRE
22.53%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%
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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. Sempra (SRE): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both American Electric Power (AEP) at 26.89% and Sempra (SRE) at 21.06% 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%

SRE

Utilities industry group

21.06%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
SRE
21.06%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%
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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. Sempra (SRE): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for American Electric Power (AEP) and Sempra (SRE)
MetricAEPSRE
ROE (TTM)10.60%8.73%
ROA (TTM)3.04%1.99%
Net Margin (TTM)14.21%22.53%
Operating Margin (TTM)26.89%21.06%
Gross Margin (TTM)46.62%44.81%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both American Electric Power (AEP) at 10.93% and Sempra (SRE) at 3.92% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

EPS Growth

American Electric Power (AEP) at 19.35% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Sempra (SRE) at -37.78% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for American Electric Power (AEP) and Sempra (SRE)
MetricAEPSRE
Revenue Growth (YoY)10.93%3.92%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)3.66%-1.73%
EPS Growth (YoY)19.35%-37.78%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)14.04%-5.99%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Sempra (SRE) at 1.61 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while American Electric Power (AEP) at 0.51 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — different working-capital profiles, both worth examining.

AEP

Utilities industry group

0.51

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

SRE

Utilities industry group

1.61

Max
1.90
SRE
1.61
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29
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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. Sempra (SRE): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both American Electric Power (AEP) at 1.62 and Sempra (SRE) at 0.85 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

SRE

Utilities industry group

0.85

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
SRE
0.85
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00
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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. Sempra (SRE): 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 Sempra (SRE)
MetricAEPSRE
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.511.61
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.620.85
Net Debt / EBITDA5.766.18

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both American Electric Power (AEP) at 3.00% and Sempra (SRE) at 3.27% 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%

SRE

Utilities industry group

3.27%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
SRE
3.27%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%
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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. Sempra (SRE): 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 Sempra (SRE) at 56.05% 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%

SRE

Utilities industry group

56.05%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
SRE
56.05%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%
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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. Sempra (SRE): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for American Electric Power (AEP) and Sempra (SRE)
MetricAEPSRE
Dividend Yield (TTM)3.00%3.27%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)62.09%56.05%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both American Electric Power (AEP) at 20.67 and Sempra (SRE) at 16.74 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

SRE

Utilities industry group

16.74

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
Median
19.64
SRE
16.74
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34
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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. Sempra (SRE): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

American Electric Power (AEP) at 2.92 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Sempra (SRE) at 3.76 sits in the pricier quartile — SRE costs more per dollar of sales.

AEP

Utilities industry group

2.92

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

SRE

Utilities industry group

3.76

Max
6.35
SRE
3.76
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00
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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. Sempra (SRE): 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 Sempra (SRE) at 1.53 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

SRE

Utilities industry group

1.53

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
SRE
1.53
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34
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American Electric Power (AEP) vs. Sempra (SRE): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for American Electric Power (AEP) and Sempra (SRE)
MetricAEPSRE
P/E Ratio (TTM)20.6716.74
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.923.76
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.101.53
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-11.28%-22.35%