Seek Returns

KEP vs. SBS: Korea Electric Power vs. Sabesp Stock Comparison

How do Korea Electric Power (KEP) and Sabesp (SBS) 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

Korea Electric Power (KEP) and Sabesp (SBS) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but KEP is classified in Electric Utilities while SBS is classified in Water Utilities.

Both Korea Electric Power (KEP) and Sabesp (SBS) trade as ADRs — their core financials are comparable, but keep FX, depositary-program fees, and dividend withholding in view for each.

Company profile comparison for Korea Electric Power (KEP) and Sabesp (SBS)
Profile ItemKEPSBS
NameKorea Electric Power Corporation Sponsored ADRCompanhia de Saneamento Básico do Estado de São Paulo - SABESP ADR
Country/RegionSouth KoreaBrazil
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryElectric UtilitiesWater Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryElectric UtilitiesWater Utilities
Market Capitalization14.38 billion USD16.96 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateOctober 27, 1994May 10, 2002
Security TypeADRADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

KEP
SBS
GSPC
Loading price history…
Korea Electric Power (KEP) vs. Sabesp (SBS), 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 Korea Electric Power (KEP) and Sabesp (SBS). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for Korea Electric Power (KEP) and Sabesp (SBS). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Korea Electric Power (KEP) and Sabesp (SBS)
MetricKEPSBS
Total Return (1Y)-25.98%-3.72%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)20.85%28.33%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)2.90%32.85%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

KEP
SBS
GSPC
Loading price history…
Korea Electric Power (KEP) vs. Sabesp (SBS), 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 Korea Electric Power (KEP) and Sabesp (SBS). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Sabesp (SBS) is heavily traded at around 11.85M shares per day, whereas Korea Electric Power (KEP) sees a more moderate 949.70K — larger orders in the latter may require more patience and tighter control over order sizing.

Risk profile metrics for Korea Electric Power (KEP) and Sabesp (SBS)
MetricKEPSBS
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)46.68%46.80%
Beta (5Y)0.970.76
Max Drawdown (5Y)-55.55%-37.59%
Avg. Volume (3M)949.70K11.85M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
KEP and SBS 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 Korea Electric Power (KEP) and Sabesp (SBS)
MetricKEPSBS
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.65-0.17
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.93-0.22

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Korea Electric Power (KEP) at 16.60% and Sabesp (SBS) at 16.27% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

KEP

Utilities industry group

16.60%

Max
17.99%
KEP
16.60%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%

SBS

Utilities industry group

16.27%

Max
17.99%
SBS
16.27%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
Loading chart…
Korea Electric Power (KEP) vs. Sabesp (SBS): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Sabesp (SBS) at 17.52% keeps a top-quartile share of each sales dollar as profit, while Korea Electric Power (KEP) at 8.04% keeps a bottom-quartile share.

KEP

Utilities industry group

8.04%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
KEP
8.04%
Min
-0.20%

SBS

Utilities industry group

17.52%

Max
28.78%
SBS
17.52%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%
Loading chart…
Korea Electric Power (KEP) vs. Sabesp (SBS): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Sabesp (SBS) at 29.28% runs core operations around its industry’s norm, while Korea Electric Power (KEP) at 4.73% operates in the bottom quartile.

KEP

Utilities industry group

4.73%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
KEP
4.73%
Min
-4.90%

SBS

Utilities industry group

29.28%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
SBS
29.28%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%
Loading chart…
Korea Electric Power (KEP) vs. Sabesp (SBS): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Korea Electric Power (KEP) and Sabesp (SBS)
MetricKEPSBS
ROE (TTM)16.60%16.27%
ROA (TTM)3.04%8.08%
Net Margin (TTM)8.04%17.52%
Operating Margin (TTM)4.73%29.28%
Gross Margin (TTM)15.97%36.96%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Korea Electric Power (KEP) at 4.31% and Sabesp (SBS) at 5.39% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Loading chart…
Korea Electric Power (KEP) vs. Sabesp (SBS): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Korea Electric Power (KEP) at 144.73% delivers above-range EPS growth, while Sabesp (SBS) at -11.79% falls into the bottom quartile — a wide split in earnings momentum.

Loading chart…
Korea Electric Power (KEP) vs. Sabesp (SBS): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Korea Electric Power (KEP) and Sabesp (SBS)
MetricKEPSBS
Revenue Growth (YoY)4.31%5.39%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)11.03%19.98%
EPS Growth (YoY)144.73%-11.79%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)--40.65%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Sabesp (SBS) at 1.22 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while Korea Electric Power (KEP) at 0.44 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — different working-capital profiles, both worth examining.

KEP

Utilities industry group

0.44

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
KEP
0.44
Min
0.29

SBS

Utilities industry group

1.22

Max
1.90
SBS
1.22
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29
Loading chart…
Korea Electric Power (KEP) vs. Sabesp (SBS): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Sabesp (SBS) at 0.99 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Korea Electric Power (KEP) at 2.63 uses more debt funding than most peers.

KEP

Utilities industry group

2.63

KEP
2.63
Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00

SBS

Utilities industry group

0.99

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
SBS
0.99
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
Korea Electric Power (KEP) vs. Sabesp (SBS): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Korea Electric Power (KEP) and Sabesp (SBS)
MetricKEPSBS
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.441.22
Debt / Equity (MRQ)2.630.99
Net Debt / EBITDA5.132.30

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Sabesp (SBS) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Korea Electric Power (KEP) reports a yield of 13,891.89%, ranking against industry peers normally.

KEP

Utilities industry group

13,891.89%

KEP
13,891.89%
Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%

SBS

Utilities industry group

0.00%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
SBS
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Korea Electric Power (KEP) vs. Sabesp (SBS): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Sabesp (SBS) at 35.95% keeps its payout within the industry’s typical band; Korea Electric Power (KEP) at 12.22% pays out less than peers usually do, retaining more of its earnings — a policy difference more than a quality gap.

KEP

Utilities industry group

12.22%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
Q1
32.38%
KEP
12.22%
Min
0.00%

SBS

Utilities industry group

35.95%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
SBS
35.95%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Korea Electric Power (KEP) vs. Sabesp (SBS): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Korea Electric Power (KEP) and Sabesp (SBS)
MetricKEPSBS
Dividend Yield (TTM)13,891.89%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)12.22%35.95%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both screen inexpensive on earnings, but Korea Electric Power (KEP) at 2.66 is the deeper discount: its P/E ratio is below the industry range, while Sabesp (SBS) at 11.73 sits in the cheaper quartile.

KEP

Utilities industry group

2.66

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34
KEP
2.66

SBS

Utilities industry group

11.73

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
SBS
11.73
Min
3.34
Loading chart…
Korea Electric Power (KEP) vs. Sabesp (SBS): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Korea Electric Power (KEP) at 0.00 and Sabesp (SBS) at 0.41 fetch a relatively low price per dollar of sales, landing in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

KEP

Utilities industry group

0.00

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
KEP
0.00
Min
0.00

SBS

Utilities industry group

0.41

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
SBS
0.41
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
Korea Electric Power (KEP) vs. Sabesp (SBS): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Korea Electric Power (KEP) at 0.38 sits in the lower P/B ratio quartile against book while Sabesp (SBS) at 1.84 is valued near its industry’s middle — KEP is cheaper on assets, though weigh it against ROE and asset quality.

KEP

Utilities industry group

0.38

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
KEP
0.38
Min
0.34

SBS

Utilities industry group

1.84

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
SBS
1.84
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34
Loading chart…
Korea Electric Power (KEP) vs. Sabesp (SBS): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Korea Electric Power (KEP) and Sabesp (SBS)
MetricKEPSBS
P/E Ratio (TTM)2.6611.73
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.000.41
P/B Ratio (MRQ)0.381.84
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)4,799.31%-62.11%