Seek Returns

LNT vs. XEL: Alliant Energy vs. Xcel Energy Stock Comparison

How do Alliant Energy (LNT) 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

Alliant Energy (LNT) 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 Alliant Energy (LNT) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
Profile ItemLNTXEL
NameAlliant Energy CorporationXcel Energy Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryElectric UtilitiesElectric Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryElectric UtilitiesElectric Utilities
Market Capitalization18.85 billion USD51.14 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973February 21, 1973
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

LNT
XEL
GSPC
Loading price history…
Alliant Energy (LNT) 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

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for Alliant Energy (LNT) and Xcel Energy (XEL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for Alliant Energy (LNT) and Xcel Energy (XEL). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Alliant Energy (LNT) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricLNTXEL
Total Return (1Y)12.31%2.65%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)18.55%14.93%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)9.28%8.26%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

LNT
XEL
GSPC
Loading price history…
Alliant Energy (LNT) 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

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for Alliant Energy (LNT) and Xcel Energy (XEL). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Alliant Energy (LNT) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricLNTXEL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)17.65%19.49%
Beta (5Y)0.500.33
Max Drawdown (5Y)-25.59%-34.41%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.73M5.83M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
LNT 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 Alliant Energy (LNT) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricLNTXEL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.46-0.08
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.66-0.12

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Alliant Energy (LNT) at 12.36% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Xcel Energy (XEL) at 11.44% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for LNT.

LNT

Utilities industry group

12.36%

Max
17.99%
LNT
12.36%
Q3
12.01%
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%
Loading chart…
Alliant Energy (LNT) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Alliant Energy (LNT) at 20.74% and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 17.95% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

LNT

Utilities industry group

20.74%

Max
28.78%
LNT
20.74%
Q3
17.30%
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%
Loading chart…
Alliant Energy (LNT) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Alliant Energy (LNT) at 30.27% and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 28.50% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

LNT

Utilities industry group

30.27%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
LNT
30.27%
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%
Loading chart…
Alliant Energy (LNT) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Alliant Energy (LNT) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricLNTXEL
ROE (TTM)12.36%11.44%
ROA (TTM)2.47%2.37%
Net Margin (TTM)20.74%17.95%
Operating Margin (TTM)30.27%28.50%
Gross Margin (TTM)45.05%47.27%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Alliant Energy (LNT) at 9.57% 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.

Loading chart…
Alliant Energy (LNT) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Alliant Energy (LNT) at 16.73% and Xcel Energy (XEL) at -0.58% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Loading chart…
Alliant Energy (LNT) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Alliant Energy (LNT) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricLNTXEL
Revenue Growth (YoY)9.57%9.14%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)1.23%-1.42%
EPS Growth (YoY)16.73%-0.58%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)4.77%2.56%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Xcel Energy (XEL) at 0.69 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Alliant Energy (LNT) at 0.51 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for LNT.

LNT

Utilities industry group

0.51

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
LNT
0.51
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
Loading chart…
Alliant Energy (LNT) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Alliant Energy (LNT) at 1.61 and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 1.68 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

LNT

Utilities industry group

1.61

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
LNT
1.61
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
Loading chart…
Alliant Energy (LNT) 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 Alliant Energy (LNT) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricLNTXEL
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.510.69
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.611.68
Net Debt / EBITDA6.676.35

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Alliant Energy (LNT) at 2.88% and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 2.92% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

LNT

Utilities industry group

2.88%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
LNT
2.88%
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%
Loading chart…
Alliant Energy (LNT) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Alliant Energy (LNT) at 58.84% 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.

LNT

Utilities industry group

58.84%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
LNT
58.84%
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%
Loading chart…
Alliant Energy (LNT) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Alliant Energy (LNT) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricLNTXEL
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.88%2.92%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)58.84%54.72%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Alliant Energy (LNT) at 20.24 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.

LNT

Utilities industry group

20.24

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
LNT
20.24
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
Loading chart…
Alliant Energy (LNT) 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 Alliant Energy (LNT) at 4.18 sits in the pricier quartile — LNT costs more per dollar of sales.

LNT

Utilities industry group

4.18

Max
6.35
LNT
4.18
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
Loading chart…
Alliant Energy (LNT) 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 Alliant Energy (LNT) at 2.41 carries an above-peer premium to book — LNT is pricier on assets.

LNT

Utilities industry group

2.41

Max
3.12
LNT
2.41
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
Loading chart…
Alliant Energy (LNT) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Alliant Energy (LNT) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricLNTXEL
P/E Ratio (TTM)20.2418.57
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.183.44
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.411.98
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-8.11%-16.32%