DUK vs. FE: Duke Energy vs. FirstEnergy Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Duke Energy (DUK) and FirstEnergy (FE) 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

Duke Energy (DUK) and FirstEnergy (FE) are both classified in the Electric Utilities sub-industry within the broader Electric Utilities industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Duke Energy (DUK) and FirstEnergy (FE)
Profile Item	DUK	FE
Name	Duke Energy Corporation	FirstEnergy Corp.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Utilities	Utilities
GICS Industry Group	Utilities	Utilities
GICS Industry	Electric Utilities	Electric Utilities
GICS Sub-Industry	Electric Utilities	Electric Utilities
Market Capitalization	99.63 billion USD	26.88 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	March 17, 1980	November 10, 1997
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

DUK

GSPC

Duke Energy (DUK) vs. FirstEnergy (FE), 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 Duke Energy (DUK) and FirstEnergy (FE). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Duke Energy (DUK) and FirstEnergy (FE). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Duke Energy (DUK) and FirstEnergy (FE)
Metric	DUK	FE
Total Return (1Y)	7.39%	5.62%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	17.76%	14.20%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	8.82%	8.32%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

DUK

GSPC

Duke Energy (DUK) vs. FirstEnergy (FE), 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 Duke Energy (DUK) and FirstEnergy (FE). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Duke Energy (DUK) and FirstEnergy (FE)
Metric	DUK	FE
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	17.00%	16.31%
Beta (5Y)	0.32	0.39
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-24.16%	-28.59%
Avg. Volume (3M)	4.11M	4.29M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

DUK and FE 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 Duke Energy (DUK) and FirstEnergy (FE)
Metric	DUK	FE
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.18	0.08
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.27	0.11

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Duke Energy (DUK) at 10.10% and FirstEnergy (FE) at 10.04% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

DUK

Utilities industry group

10.10%

Max: 17.99%
Q3: 12.01%
DUK: 10.10%
Median: 9.44%
Q1: 7.56%
Min: 2.17%

FE

Utilities industry group

10.04%

Max: 17.99%
Q3: 12.01%
FE: 10.04%
Median: 9.44%
Q1: 7.56%
Min: 2.17%

Duke Energy (DUK) vs. FirstEnergy (FE): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Duke Energy (DUK) at 16.16% keeps about the industry-typical share of revenue as profit, while FirstEnergy (FE) at 7.49% retains only a bottom-quartile share.

DUK

Utilities industry group

16.16%

Max: 28.78%
Q3: 17.30%
DUK: 16.16%
Median: 12.73%
Q1: 9.18%
Min: -0.20%

FE

Utilities industry group

7.49%

Max: 28.78%
Q3: 17.30%
Median: 12.73%
Q1: 9.18%
FE: 7.49%
Min: -0.20%

Duke Energy (DUK) vs. FirstEnergy (FE): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Duke Energy (DUK) at 30.03% and FirstEnergy (FE) at 21.24% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

DUK

Utilities industry group

30.03%

Max: 53.83%
Q3: 31.12%
DUK: 30.03%
Median: 23.62%
Q1: 15.45%
Min: -4.90%

FE

Utilities industry group

21.24%

Max: 53.83%
Q3: 31.12%
Median: 23.62%
FE: 21.24%
Q1: 15.45%
Min: -4.90%

Duke Energy (DUK) vs. FirstEnergy (FE): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Duke Energy (DUK) and FirstEnergy (FE)
Metric	DUK	FE
ROE (TTM)	10.10%	10.04%
ROA (TTM)	2.92%	3.66%
Net Margin (TTM)	16.16%	7.49%
Operating Margin (TTM)	30.03%	21.24%
Gross Margin (TTM)	52.58%	69.63%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Duke Energy (DUK) at 6.19% and FirstEnergy (FE) at 12.01% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Duke Energy (DUK) vs. FirstEnergy (FE): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Duke Energy (DUK) at 10.51% and FirstEnergy (FE) at 3.53% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Duke Energy (DUK) vs. FirstEnergy (FE): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Duke Energy (DUK) and FirstEnergy (FE)
Metric	DUK	FE
Revenue Growth (YoY)	6.19%	12.01%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	3.87%	6.59%
EPS Growth (YoY)	10.51%	3.53%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	23.75%	35.34%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Duke Energy (DUK) at 0.68 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while FirstEnergy (FE) at 0.38 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for FE.

DUK

Utilities industry group

0.68

Max: 1.90
Q3: 1.17
Median: 0.88
DUK: 0.68
Q1: 0.66
Min: 0.29

FE

Utilities industry group

0.38

Max: 1.90
Q3: 1.17
Median: 0.88
Q1: 0.66
FE: 0.38
Min: 0.29

Duke Energy (DUK) vs. FirstEnergy (FE): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Duke Energy (DUK) at 1.63 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while FirstEnergy (FE) at 2.07 uses more debt funding than most peers.

DUK

Utilities industry group

1.63

Max: 2.63
Q3: 1.77
DUK: 1.63
Median: 1.35
Q1: 0.84
Min: 0.00

FE

Utilities industry group

2.07

Max: 2.63
FE: 2.07
Q3: 1.77
Median: 1.35
Q1: 0.84
Min: 0.00

Duke Energy (DUK) vs. FirstEnergy (FE): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Duke Energy (DUK) and FirstEnergy (FE)
Metric	DUK	FE
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.68	0.38
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	1.63	2.07
Net Debt / EBITDA	5.38	5.85

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

FirstEnergy (FE) at 3.90% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Duke Energy (DUK) at 3.29% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, FE the richer one.

DUK

Utilities industry group

3.29%

Max: 6.66%
Q3: 3.58%
DUK: 3.29%
Median: 2.85%
Q1: 0.66%
Min: 0.00%

FE

Utilities industry group

3.90%

Max: 6.66%
FE: 3.90%
Q3: 3.58%
Median: 2.85%
Q1: 0.66%
Min: 0.00%

Duke Energy (DUK) vs. FirstEnergy (FE): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Duke Energy (DUK) at 62.76% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while FirstEnergy (FE) at 87.92% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

DUK

Utilities industry group

62.76%

Max: 113.04%
Q3: 68.72%
DUK: 62.76%
Median: 56.38%
Q1: 32.38%
Min: 0.00%

FE

Utilities industry group

87.92%

Max: 113.04%
FE: 87.92%
Q3: 68.72%
Median: 56.38%
Q1: 32.38%
Min: 0.00%

Duke Energy (DUK) vs. FirstEnergy (FE): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Duke Energy (DUK) and FirstEnergy (FE)
Metric	DUK	FE
Dividend Yield (TTM)	3.29%	3.90%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	62.76%	87.92%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Duke Energy (DUK) at 18.74 and FirstEnergy (FE) at 22.43 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

DUK

Utilities industry group

18.74

Max: 31.22
Q3: 23.30
Median: 19.64
DUK: 18.74
Q1: 15.17
Min: 3.34

FE

Utilities industry group

22.43

Max: 31.22
Q3: 23.30
FE: 22.43
Median: 19.64
Q1: 15.17
Min: 3.34

Duke Energy (DUK) vs. FirstEnergy (FE): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Duke Energy (DUK) at 2.99 and FirstEnergy (FE) at 1.68 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

DUK

Utilities industry group

2.99

Max: 6.35
Q3: 3.63
DUK: 2.99
Median: 2.63
Q1: 1.52
Min: 0.00

FE

Utilities industry group

1.68

Max: 6.35
Q3: 3.63
Median: 2.63
FE: 1.68
Q1: 1.52
Min: 0.00

Duke Energy (DUK) vs. FirstEnergy (FE): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Duke Energy (DUK) at 1.83 and FirstEnergy (FE) at 2.07 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

DUK

Utilities industry group

1.83

Max: 3.12
Q3: 2.21
DUK: 1.83
Median: 1.83
Q1: 1.46
Min: 0.34

FE

Utilities industry group

2.07

Max: 3.12
Q3: 2.21
FE: 2.07
Median: 1.83
Q1: 1.46
Min: 0.34

Duke Energy (DUK) vs. FirstEnergy (FE): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Duke Energy (DUK) and FirstEnergy (FE)
Metric	DUK	FE
P/E Ratio (TTM)	18.74	22.43
P/S Ratio (TTM)	2.99	1.68
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	1.83	2.07
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	-2.76%	-9.48%