Seek Returns

DUK vs. PPL: Duke Energy vs. PPL Stock Comparison

How do Duke Energy (DUK) and PPL (PPL) 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 PPL (PPL) 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 PPL (PPL)
Profile ItemDUKPPL
NameDuke Energy CorporationPPL Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryElectric UtilitiesElectric Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryElectric UtilitiesElectric Utilities
Market Capitalization99.63 billion USD26.94 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

DUK
PPL
GSPC
Loading price history…
Duke Energy (DUK) vs. PPL (PPL), 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

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for Duke Energy (DUK) and PPL (PPL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for Duke Energy (DUK) and PPL (PPL). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Duke Energy (DUK) and PPL (PPL)
MetricDUKPPL
Total Return (1Y)7.39%1.73%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)17.76%16.47%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)8.82%8.32%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

DUK
PPL
GSPC
Loading price history…
Duke Energy (DUK) vs. PPL (PPL), 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

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for Duke Energy (DUK) and PPL (PPL). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Duke Energy (DUK) and PPL (PPL)
MetricDUKPPL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)17.00%18.30%
Beta (5Y)0.320.54
Max Drawdown (5Y)-24.16%-24.73%
Avg. Volume (3M)4.11M7.63M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
DUK and PPL 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 PPL (PPL)
MetricDUKPPL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.18-0.14
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.27-0.19

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Duke Energy (DUK) at 10.10% and PPL (PPL) at 8.63% 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%

PPL

Utilities industry group

8.63%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
PPL
8.63%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
Loading chart…
Duke Energy (DUK) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Duke Energy (DUK) at 16.16% and PPL (PPL) at 13.47% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

DUK

Utilities industry group

16.16%

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

PPL

Utilities industry group

13.47%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
PPL
13.47%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%
Loading chart…
Duke Energy (DUK) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Duke Energy (DUK) at 30.03% and PPL (PPL) at 23.59% 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%

PPL

Utilities industry group

23.59%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
PPL
23.59%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%
Loading chart…
Duke Energy (DUK) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Duke Energy (DUK) and PPL (PPL)
MetricDUKPPL
ROE (TTM)10.10%8.63%
ROA (TTM)2.92%3.20%
Net Margin (TTM)16.16%13.47%
Operating Margin (TTM)30.03%23.59%
Gross Margin (TTM)52.58%44.09%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Duke Energy (DUK) at 6.19% and PPL (PPL) at 6.85% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Loading chart…
Duke Energy (DUK) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

PPL (PPL) at 32.50% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Duke Energy (DUK) at 10.51% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for PPL.

Loading chart…
Duke Energy (DUK) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Duke Energy (DUK) and PPL (PPL)
MetricDUKPPL
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.19%6.85%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)3.87%4.59%
EPS Growth (YoY)10.51%32.50%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)23.75%15.95%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Duke Energy (DUK) at 0.68 and PPL (PPL) at 0.91 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

DUK

Utilities industry group

0.68

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

PPL

Utilities industry group

0.91

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
PPL
0.91
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29
Loading chart…
Duke Energy (DUK) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Duke Energy (DUK) at 1.63 and PPL (PPL) at 1.35 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

DUK

Utilities industry group

1.63

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

PPL

Utilities industry group

1.35

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
PPL
1.35
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
Duke Energy (DUK) vs. PPL (PPL): 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 PPL (PPL)
MetricDUKPPL
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.680.91
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.631.35
Net Debt / EBITDA5.385.33

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

PPL (PPL) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Duke Energy (DUK) reports a yield of 3.29%, ranking against industry peers normally.

DUK

Utilities industry group

3.29%

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

PPL

Utilities industry group

0.00%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
PPL
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Duke Energy (DUK) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Duke Energy (DUK) at 62.76% and PPL (PPL) at 65.98% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

DUK

Utilities industry group

62.76%

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

PPL

Utilities industry group

65.98%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
PPL
65.98%
Median
56.38%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Duke Energy (DUK) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Duke Energy (DUK) and PPL (PPL)
MetricDUKPPL
Dividend Yield (TTM)3.29%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)62.76%65.98%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Duke Energy (DUK) at 18.74 and PPL (PPL) at 20.57 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

PPL

Utilities industry group

20.57

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
PPL
20.57
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34
Loading chart…
Duke Energy (DUK) vs. PPL (PPL): 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 PPL (PPL) at 2.87 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

PPL

Utilities industry group

2.87

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
PPL
2.87
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
Duke Energy (DUK) vs. PPL (PPL): 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 PPL (PPL) at 1.81 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

PPL

Utilities industry group

1.81

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
PPL
1.81
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34
Loading chart…
Duke Energy (DUK) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Duke Energy (DUK) and PPL (PPL)
MetricDUKPPL
P/E Ratio (TTM)18.7420.57
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.992.87
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.831.81
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-2.76%-7.19%