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NEE vs. XEL: NextEra Energy vs. Xcel Energy Stock Comparison

How do NextEra Energy (NEE) 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

NextEra Energy (NEE) 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 NextEra Energy (NEE) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
Profile ItemNEEXEL
NameNextEra Energy Inc.Xcel Energy Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryElectric UtilitiesElectric Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryElectric UtilitiesElectric Utilities
Market Capitalization182.36 billion USD51.14 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973February 21, 1973
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

NEE
XEL
GSPC
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NextEra Energy (NEE) 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 NextEra Energy (NEE) and Xcel Energy (XEL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for NextEra Energy (NEE) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricNEEXEL
Total Return (1Y)7.27%2.65%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)20.47%14.93%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)3.34%8.26%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for NextEra Energy (NEE) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricNEEXEL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)21.60%19.49%
Beta (5Y)0.590.33
Max Drawdown (5Y)-44.97%-34.41%
Avg. Volume (3M)11.90M5.83M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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NEE 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 NextEra Energy (NEE) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricNEEXEL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.14-0.08
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.21-0.12

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

NextEra Energy (NEE) at 14.06% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Xcel Energy (XEL) at 11.44% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for NEE.

NEE

Utilities industry group

14.06%

Max
17.99%
NEE
14.06%
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%
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NextEra Energy (NEE) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

NextEra Energy (NEE) at 40.37% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 17.95% also retains a top-quartile share.

NEE

Utilities industry group

40.37%

NEE
40.37%
Max
28.78%
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%
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NextEra Energy (NEE) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

NextEra Energy (NEE) at 33.00% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Xcel Energy (XEL) at 28.50%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

NEE

Utilities industry group

33.00%

Max
53.83%
NEE
33.00%
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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NextEra Energy (NEE) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for NextEra Energy (NEE) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricNEEXEL
ROE (TTM)14.06%11.44%
ROA (TTM)2.41%2.37%
Net Margin (TTM)40.37%17.95%
Operating Margin (TTM)33.00%28.50%
Gross Margin (TTM)60.17%47.27%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both NextEra Energy (NEE) at 10.74% 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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NextEra Energy (NEE) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both NextEra Energy (NEE) at -2.63% 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.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for NextEra Energy (NEE) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricNEEXEL
Revenue Growth (YoY)10.74%9.14%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)9.36%-1.42%
EPS Growth (YoY)-2.63%-0.58%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)16.28%2.56%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Xcel Energy (XEL) at 0.69 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while NextEra Energy (NEE) at 0.53 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for NEE.

NEE

Utilities industry group

0.53

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
NEE
0.53
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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NextEra Energy (NEE) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both NextEra Energy (NEE) at 1.53 and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 1.68 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

NEE

Utilities industry group

1.53

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
NEE
1.53
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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NextEra Energy (NEE) 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 NextEra Energy (NEE) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricNEEXEL
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.530.69
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.531.68
Net Debt / EBITDA8.096.35

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both NextEra Energy (NEE) at 2.76% and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 2.92% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

NEE

Utilities industry group

2.76%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
NEE
2.76%
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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NextEra Energy (NEE) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both NextEra Energy (NEE) at 43.89% 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.

NEE

Utilities industry group

43.89%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
NEE
43.89%
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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NextEra Energy (NEE) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for NextEra Energy (NEE) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricNEEXEL
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.76%2.92%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)43.89%54.72%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both NextEra Energy (NEE) at 15.67 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.

NEE

Utilities industry group

15.67

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
Median
19.64
NEE
15.67
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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NextEra Energy (NEE) 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 NextEra Energy (NEE) at 6.33 sits in the pricier quartile — NEE costs more per dollar of sales.

NEE

Utilities industry group

6.33

Max
6.35
NEE
6.33
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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NextEra Energy (NEE) 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 NextEra Energy (NEE) at 2.97 carries an above-peer premium to book — NEE is pricier on assets.

NEE

Utilities industry group

2.97

Max
3.12
NEE
2.97
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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NextEra Energy (NEE) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for NextEra Energy (NEE) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricNEEXEL
P/E Ratio (TTM)15.6718.57
P/S Ratio (TTM)6.333.44
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.971.98
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-11.63%-16.32%