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ETR vs. XEL: Entergy vs. Xcel Energy Stock Comparison

How do Entergy (ETR) 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

Entergy (ETR) 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 Entergy (ETR) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
Profile ItemETRXEL
NameEntergy Corporation Common StockXcel Energy Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryElectric UtilitiesElectric Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryElectric UtilitiesElectric Utilities
Market Capitalization52.82 billion USD51.14 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateJune 1, 1972February 21, 1973
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ETR
XEL
GSPC
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Entergy (ETR) 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 Entergy (ETR) and Xcel Energy (XEL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Entergy (ETR) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricETRXEL
Total Return (1Y)18.08%2.65%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)36.61%14.93%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)21.12%8.26%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ETR
XEL
GSPC
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Entergy (ETR) 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 Entergy (ETR) and Xcel Energy (XEL). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Entergy (ETR) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricETRXEL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)20.53%19.49%
Beta (5Y)0.440.33
Max Drawdown (5Y)-25.12%-34.41%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.75M5.83M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ETR 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 Entergy (ETR) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricETRXEL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.67-0.08
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.99-0.12

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Entergy (ETR) at 11.02% and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 11.44% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

ETR

Utilities industry group

11.02%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
ETR
11.02%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%

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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Entergy (ETR) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Xcel Energy (XEL) at 17.95% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Entergy (ETR) at 14.56%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

ETR

Utilities industry group

14.56%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
ETR
14.56%
Median
12.73%
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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Entergy (ETR) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Entergy (ETR) at 34.20% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Xcel Energy (XEL) at 28.50%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

ETR

Utilities industry group

34.20%

Max
53.83%
ETR
34.20%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
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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Entergy (ETR) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Entergy (ETR) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricETRXEL
ROE (TTM)11.02%11.44%
ROA (TTM)2.89%2.37%
Net Margin (TTM)14.56%17.95%
Operating Margin (TTM)34.20%28.50%
Gross Margin (TTM)47.93%47.27%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Entergy (ETR) at 8.98% and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 9.14% 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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Entergy (ETR) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Entergy (ETR) at 59.59% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Xcel Energy (XEL) at -0.58% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for ETR.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Entergy (ETR) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricETRXEL
Revenue Growth (YoY)8.98%9.14%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-2.02%-1.42%
EPS Growth (YoY)59.59%-0.58%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)13.35%2.56%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Xcel Energy (XEL) at 0.69 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Entergy (ETR) at 1.18 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets relative to peers.

ETR

Utilities industry group

1.18

Max
1.90
ETR
1.18
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29

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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Entergy (ETR) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Entergy (ETR) at 1.73 and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 1.68 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

ETR

Utilities industry group

1.73

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
ETR
1.73
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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Entergy (ETR) 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 Entergy (ETR) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricETRXEL
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.180.69
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.731.68
Net Debt / EBITDA5.176.35

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Entergy (ETR) at 2.32% and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 2.92% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

ETR

Utilities industry group

2.32%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
ETR
2.32%
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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Entergy (ETR) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Entergy (ETR) at 58.58% and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 54.72% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

ETR

Utilities industry group

58.58%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
ETR
58.58%
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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Entergy (ETR) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Entergy (ETR) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricETRXEL
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.32%2.92%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)58.58%54.72%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Xcel Energy (XEL) at 18.57 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Entergy (ETR) at 25.30 sits in the richer quartile — ETR needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

ETR

Utilities industry group

25.30

Max
31.22
ETR
25.30
Q3
23.30
Median
19.64
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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Entergy (ETR) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Xcel Energy (XEL) at 3.44 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Entergy (ETR) at 3.76 sits in the pricier quartile — ETR costs more per dollar of sales.

ETR

Utilities industry group

3.76

Max
6.35
ETR
3.76
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
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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Entergy (ETR) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Xcel Energy (XEL) at 1.98 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Entergy (ETR) at 2.67 carries an above-peer premium to book — ETR is pricier on assets.

ETR

Utilities industry group

2.67

Max
3.12
ETR
2.67
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
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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Entergy (ETR) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Entergy (ETR) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricETRXEL
P/E Ratio (TTM)25.3018.57
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.763.44
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.671.98
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-9.65%-16.32%