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

How do Duke Energy (DUK) and WEC Energy (WEC) 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 WEC Energy (WEC) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but DUK is classified in Electric Utilities while WEC is classified in Multi-Utilities.

Company profile comparison for Duke Energy (DUK) and WEC Energy (WEC)
Profile ItemDUKWEC
NameDuke Energy CorporationWEC Energy Group Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryElectric UtilitiesMulti-Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryElectric UtilitiesMulti-Utilities
Market Capitalization99.63 billion USD38.12 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

DUK
WEC
GSPC
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Duke Energy (DUK) vs. WEC Energy (WEC), 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 WEC Energy (WEC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Duke Energy (DUK) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricDUKWEC
Total Return (1Y)7.39%7.80%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)17.76%18.04%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)8.82%9.22%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Duke Energy (DUK) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricDUKWEC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)17.00%17.21%
Beta (5Y)0.320.43
Max Drawdown (5Y)-24.16%-26.02%
Avg. Volume (3M)4.11M2.71M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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DUK and WEC 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 WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricDUKWEC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.180.20
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.270.31

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

WEC Energy (WEC) at 12.49% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Duke Energy (DUK) at 10.10% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for WEC.

DUK

Utilities industry group

10.10%

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

WEC

Utilities industry group

12.49%

Max
17.99%
WEC
12.49%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
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Duke Energy (DUK) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

WEC Energy (WEC) at 17.53% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Duke Energy (DUK) at 16.16%, which keeps about the industry-typical 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%

WEC

Utilities industry group

17.53%

Max
28.78%
WEC
17.53%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%
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Duke Energy (DUK) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Duke Energy (DUK) at 30.03% and WEC Energy (WEC) at 25.44% 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%

WEC

Utilities industry group

25.44%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
WEC
25.44%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%
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Duke Energy (DUK) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Duke Energy (DUK) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricDUKWEC
ROE (TTM)10.10%12.49%
ROA (TTM)2.92%3.08%
Net Margin (TTM)16.16%17.53%
Operating Margin (TTM)30.03%25.44%
Gross Margin (TTM)52.58%42.36%

Growth

Revenue Growth

WEC Energy (WEC) at 13.96% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Duke Energy (DUK) at 6.19% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for WEC.

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

EPS Growth

Both Duke Energy (DUK) at 10.51% and WEC Energy (WEC) at -0.41% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Duke Energy (DUK) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricDUKWEC
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.19%13.96%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)3.87%0.70%
EPS Growth (YoY)10.51%-0.41%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)23.75%2.63%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Duke Energy (DUK) at 0.68 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while WEC Energy (WEC) at 0.53 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for WEC.

DUK

Utilities industry group

0.68

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

WEC

Utilities industry group

0.53

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
WEC
0.53
Min
0.29
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Duke Energy (DUK) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Duke Energy (DUK) at 1.63 and WEC Energy (WEC) at 1.54 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

WEC

Utilities industry group

1.54

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
WEC
1.54
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00
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Duke Energy (DUK) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): 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 WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricDUKWEC
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.680.53
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.631.54
Net Debt / EBITDA5.385.66

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Duke Energy (DUK) at 3.29% and WEC Energy (WEC) at 3.17% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

DUK

Utilities industry group

3.29%

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

WEC

Utilities industry group

3.17%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
WEC
3.17%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%
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Duke Energy (DUK) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Duke Energy (DUK) at 62.76% and WEC Energy (WEC) at 68.18% 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%

WEC

Utilities industry group

68.18%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
WEC
68.18%
Median
56.38%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%
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Duke Energy (DUK) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Duke Energy (DUK) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricDUKWEC
Dividend Yield (TTM)3.29%3.17%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)62.76%68.18%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Duke Energy (DUK) at 18.74 and WEC Energy (WEC) at 21.07 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

WEC

Utilities industry group

21.07

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
WEC
21.07
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34
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Duke Energy (DUK) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Duke Energy (DUK) at 2.99 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while WEC Energy (WEC) at 3.69 sits in the pricier quartile — WEC costs more per dollar of sales.

DUK

Utilities industry group

2.99

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

WEC

Utilities industry group

3.69

Max
6.35
WEC
3.69
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00
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Duke Energy (DUK) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Duke Energy (DUK) at 1.83 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while WEC Energy (WEC) at 2.62 carries an above-peer premium to book — WEC is pricier on assets.

DUK

Utilities industry group

1.83

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

WEC

Utilities industry group

2.62

Max
3.12
WEC
2.62
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34
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Duke Energy (DUK) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Duke Energy (DUK) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricDUKWEC
P/E Ratio (TTM)18.7421.07
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.993.69
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.832.62
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-2.76%-5.16%