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ES vs. XEL: Eversource Energy vs. Xcel Energy Stock Comparison

How do Eversource Energy (ES) and Xcel Energy (XEL) 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

Eversource Energy (ES) and Xcel Energy (XEL) 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 Eversource Energy (ES) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
Profile ItemESXEL
NameEversource EnergyXcel Energy Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryElectric UtilitiesElectric Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryElectric UtilitiesElectric Utilities
Market Capitalization26.31 billion USD51.14 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973February 21, 1973
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ES
XEL
GSPC
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Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL), 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 Eversource Energy (ES) and Xcel Energy (XEL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Eversource Energy (ES) and Xcel Energy (XEL). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricESXEL
Total Return (1Y)0.35%2.65%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)14.06%14.93%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)0.61%8.26%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ES
XEL
GSPC
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Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL), 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 Eversource Energy (ES) and Xcel Energy (XEL). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricESXEL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)24.60%19.49%
Beta (5Y)0.650.33
Max Drawdown (5Y)-41.69%-34.41%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.53M5.83M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ES and XEL 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 Eversource Energy (ES) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricESXEL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.16-0.08
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.20-0.12

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Xcel Energy (XEL) earns 11.44% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Eversource Energy (ES) has no ROE this period.

ES

Utilities industry group

--

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
ES
--

XEL

Utilities industry group

11.44%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
XEL
11.44%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
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Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): ES does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; XEL is benchmarked against the Utilities industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

Xcel Energy (XEL) at 17.95% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Eversource Energy (ES) at 10.38%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

ES

Utilities industry group

10.38%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
ES
10.38%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%

XEL

Utilities industry group

17.95%

Max
28.78%
XEL
17.95%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%
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Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Eversource Energy (ES) at 21.14% and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 28.50% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

ES

Utilities industry group

21.14%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
ES
21.14%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%

XEL

Utilities industry group

28.50%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
XEL
28.50%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%
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Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricESXEL
ROE (TTM)--11.44%
ROA (TTM)--2.37%
Net Margin (TTM)10.38%17.95%
Operating Margin (TTM)21.14%28.50%
Gross Margin (TTM)51.63%47.27%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Eversource Energy (ES) at 13.83% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Xcel Energy (XEL) at 9.14% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for ES.

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Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Eversource Energy (ES) at 100.88% clears its industry range for EPS growth, a much stronger earnings trajectory than Xcel Energy (XEL) at -0.58%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

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Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricESXEL
Revenue Growth (YoY)13.83%9.14%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)3.30%-1.42%
EPS Growth (YoY)100.88%-0.58%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)4.03%2.56%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Short-term liquidity can only be read on one side of this pairing: Xcel Energy (XEL) shows current ratio of 0.69 against its industry benchmark, while Eversource Energy (ES) has no reading this period.

ES

Utilities industry group

--

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29
ES
--

XEL

Utilities industry group

0.69

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
XEL
0.69
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29
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Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): ES does not report current ratio, so it has no value marker; XEL is benchmarked against the Utilities industry group.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Xcel Energy (XEL) at 1.68 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Eversource Energy (ES) at 1.81 uses more debt funding than most peers.

ES

Utilities industry group

1.81

Max
2.63
ES
1.81
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00

XEL

Utilities industry group

1.68

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
XEL
1.68
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00
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Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricESXEL
Current Ratio (MRQ)--0.69
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.811.68
Net Debt / EBITDA5.736.35

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Eversource Energy (ES) at 4.33% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Xcel Energy (XEL) at 2.92% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, ES the richer one.

ES

Utilities industry group

4.33%

Max
6.66%
ES
4.33%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%

XEL

Utilities industry group

2.92%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
XEL
2.92%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%
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Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Xcel Energy (XEL) at 54.72% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Eversource Energy (ES) at 82.19% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

ES

Utilities industry group

82.19%

Max
113.04%
ES
82.19%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%

XEL

Utilities industry group

54.72%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
XEL
54.72%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%
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Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricESXEL
Dividend Yield (TTM)4.33%2.92%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)82.19%54.72%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Eversource Energy (ES) at 18.43 and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 18.57 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

ES

Utilities industry group

18.43

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
Median
19.64
ES
18.43
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34

XEL

Utilities industry group

18.57

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
Median
19.64
XEL
18.57
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34
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Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Eversource Energy (ES) at 1.91 and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 3.44 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

ES

Utilities industry group

1.91

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
ES
1.91
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00

XEL

Utilities industry group

3.44

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
XEL
3.44
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00
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Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Eversource Energy (ES) at 1.61 and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 1.98 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

ES

Utilities industry group

1.61

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
ES
1.61
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34

XEL

Utilities industry group

1.98

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
XEL
1.98
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34
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Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricESXEL
P/E Ratio (TTM)18.4318.57
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.913.44
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.611.98
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)---16.32%