KEP vs. SRE: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at KEP and SRE, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
KEP trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors a convenient way to access its foreign-listed shares. In contrast, SRE is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | KEP | SRE |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Korea Electric Power Corporation | Sempra |
| Country | South Korea | United States |
| GICS Sector | Utilities | Utilities |
| GICS Industry | Electric Utilities | Multi-Utilities |
| Market Capitalization | 16.34 billion USD | 60.91 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | October 27, 1994 | June 29, 1998 |
| Security Type | ADR | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of KEP and SRE by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | KEP | SRE |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -1.93% | 4.57% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -1.11% | 25.33% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 59.19% | 31.99% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -7.95% | 14.54% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -1.53% | 3.76% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 77.06% | 6.43% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 1.73M | 3.75M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 4.35M | 3.88M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 36.82% | 20.34% |
| Beta | 0.28 | 0.74 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
KEP
15.57%
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 25.46%
- Q3
- 14.70%
- Median
- 10.64%
- Q1
- 6.99%
- Min
- 0.02%
In the upper quartile for the Electric Utilities industry, KEP’s Return on Equity of 15.57% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
SRE
8.73%
Multi-Utilities Industry
- Max
- 20.00%
- Q3
- 13.79%
- Median
- 9.45%
- Q1
- 7.88%
- Min
- 4.56%
SRE’s Return on Equity of 8.73% is on par with the norm for the Multi-Utilities industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
KEP
6.78%
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 29.56%
- Q3
- 16.54%
- Median
- 11.20%
- Q1
- 7.30%
- Min
- 0.01%
Falling into the lower quartile for the Electric Utilities industry, KEP’s Net Profit Margin of 6.78% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.
SRE
23.49%
Multi-Utilities Industry
- Max
- 23.49%
- Q3
- 14.79%
- Median
- 9.24%
- Q1
- 4.19%
- Min
- -1.05%
A Net Profit Margin of 23.49% places SRE in the upper quartile for the Multi-Utilities industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
KEP
12.54%
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 38.77%
- Q3
- 25.54%
- Median
- 18.87%
- Q1
- 14.12%
- Min
- 0.02%
KEP’s Operating Profit Margin of 12.54% is in the lower quartile for the Electric Utilities industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
SRE
26.26%
Multi-Utilities Industry
- Max
- 45.01%
- Q3
- 26.69%
- Median
- 19.18%
- Q1
- 7.66%
- Min
- -0.18%
SRE’s Operating Profit Margin of 26.26% is around the midpoint for the Multi-Utilities industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | KEP | SRE |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 15.57% | 8.73% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 2.56% | 2.79% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 6.78% | 23.49% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 12.54% | 26.26% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | -19.73% | -- |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
KEP
0.46
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 1.82
- Q3
- 1.23
- Median
- 0.98
- Q1
- 0.72
- Min
- 0.13
KEP’s Current Ratio of 0.46 falls into the lower quartile for the Electric Utilities industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
SRE
0.48
Multi-Utilities Industry
- Max
- 1.35
- Q3
- 1.10
- Median
- 0.95
- Q1
- 0.82
- Min
- 0.48
SRE’s Current Ratio of 0.48 falls into the lower quartile for the Multi-Utilities industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
KEP
3.18
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 3.72
- Q3
- 1.90
- Median
- 1.27
- Q1
- 0.62
- Min
- 0.00
KEP’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Electric Utilities industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 3.18. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
SRE
1.22
Multi-Utilities Industry
- Max
- 3.03
- Q3
- 2.00
- Median
- 1.55
- Q1
- 1.24
- Min
- 0.58
Falling into the lower quartile for the Multi-Utilities industry, SRE’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.22 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
KEP
2.57
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 18.68
- Q3
- 9.89
- Median
- 3.33
- Q1
- 2.62
- Min
- -3.31
In the lower quartile for the Electric Utilities industry, KEP’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 2.57 indicates a tighter cushion for servicing debt, suggesting less financial flexibility than many of its competitors.
SRE
3.18
Multi-Utilities Industry
- Max
- 9.98
- Q3
- 5.96
- Median
- 3.48
- Q1
- 2.74
- Min
- 0.59
SRE’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 3.18 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Multi-Utilities industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | KEP | SRE |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.46 | 0.48 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.29 | 0.39 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 3.18 | 1.22 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 2.57 | 3.18 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
KEP
1.12%
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 6.61%
- Q3
- 4.66%
- Median
- 3.55%
- Q1
- 2.23%
- Min
- 0.00%
KEP’s Dividend Yield of 1.12% is in the lower quartile for the Electric Utilities industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.
SRE
2.59%
Multi-Utilities Industry
- Max
- 10.02%
- Q3
- 5.84%
- Median
- 4.22%
- Q1
- 2.96%
- Min
- 0.00%
SRE’s Dividend Yield of 2.59% is in the lower quartile for the Multi-Utilities industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
KEP
6.37%
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 140.33%
- Q3
- 84.46%
- Median
- 60.94%
- Q1
- 31.83%
- Min
- 0.00%
KEP’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 6.37% is in the lower quartile for the Electric Utilities industry. This suggests a conservative dividend policy, with a strategic focus on reinvesting profits for future growth.
SRE
58.53%
Multi-Utilities Industry
- Max
- 161.38%
- Q3
- 101.19%
- Median
- 73.21%
- Q1
- 58.41%
- Min
- 31.93%
SRE’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 58.53% is within the typical range for the Multi-Utilities industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | KEP | SRE |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.12% | 2.59% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 6.37% | 58.53% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
KEP
3.60
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 34.39
- Q3
- 21.23
- Median
- 15.47
- Q1
- 10.17
- Min
- 3.08
In the lower quartile for the Electric Utilities industry, KEP’s P/E Ratio of 3.60 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
SRE
22.60
Multi-Utilities Industry
- Max
- 27.93
- Q3
- 20.57
- Median
- 15.98
- Q1
- 9.34
- Min
- 5.25
A P/E Ratio of 22.60 places SRE in the upper quartile for the Multi-Utilities industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
KEP
0.24
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 6.03
- Q3
- 3.06
- Median
- 1.89
- Q1
- 1.06
- Min
- 0.00
In the lower quartile for the Electric Utilities industry, KEP’s P/S Ratio of 0.24 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
SRE
5.31
Multi-Utilities Industry
- Max
- 5.00
- Q3
- 3.46
- Median
- 1.80
- Q1
- 0.46
- Min
- 0.26
With a P/S Ratio of 5.31, SRE trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Multi-Utilities industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
KEP
0.59
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 2.97
- Q3
- 1.86
- Median
- 1.46
- Q1
- 1.01
- Min
- 0.27
KEP’s P/B Ratio of 0.59 is in the lower quartile for the Electric Utilities industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.
SRE
1.56
Multi-Utilities Industry
- Max
- 2.52
- Q3
- 2.12
- Median
- 1.55
- Q1
- 1.25
- Min
- 0.91
SRE’s P/B Ratio of 1.56 is within the conventional range for the Multi-Utilities industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | KEP | SRE |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 3.60 | 22.60 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 0.24 | 5.31 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 0.59 | 1.56 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 4.73 | 381.11 |