Seek Returns

NGG vs. PPL: National Grid vs. PPL Stock Comparison

How do National Grid (NGG) and PPL (PPL) 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

National Grid (NGG) and PPL (PPL) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but NGG is classified in Multi-Utilities while PPL is classified in Electric Utilities.

PPL (PPL) trades as ordinary local shares, while National Grid (NGG) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for National Grid (NGG) and PPL (PPL)
Profile ItemNGGPPL
NameNational Grid plc Sponsored ADRPPL Corporation
Country/RegionUnited KingdomUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryMulti-UtilitiesElectric Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryMulti-UtilitiesElectric Utilities
Market Capitalization83.60 billion USD26.94 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateAugust 10, 2005March 17, 1980
Security TypeADRCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

NGG
PPL
GSPC
Loading price history…
National Grid (NGG) vs. PPL (PPL), 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 National Grid (NGG) and PPL (PPL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for National Grid (NGG) and PPL (PPL). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for National Grid (NGG) and PPL (PPL)
MetricNGGPPL
Total Return (1Y)13.00%1.73%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)19.82%16.47%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)12.34%8.32%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

NGG
PPL
GSPC
Loading price history…
National Grid (NGG) vs. PPL (PPL), 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 National Grid (NGG) and PPL (PPL). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for National Grid (NGG) and PPL (PPL)
MetricNGGPPL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)22.32%18.30%
Beta (5Y)0.730.54
Max Drawdown (5Y)-39.20%-24.73%
Avg. Volume (3M)911.70K7.63M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
NGG and PPL 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 National Grid (NGG) and PPL (PPL)
MetricNGGPPL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.39-0.14
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.54-0.19

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both National Grid (NGG) at 10.31% and PPL (PPL) at 8.63% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

NGG

Utilities industry group

10.31%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
NGG
10.31%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%

PPL

Utilities industry group

8.63%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
PPL
8.63%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
Loading chart…
National Grid (NGG) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

National Grid (NGG) at 21.15% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of PPL (PPL) at 13.47%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

NGG

Utilities industry group

21.15%

Max
28.78%
NGG
21.15%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%

PPL

Utilities industry group

13.47%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
PPL
13.47%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%
Loading chart…
National Grid (NGG) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both National Grid (NGG) at 28.64% and PPL (PPL) at 23.59% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

NGG

Utilities industry group

28.64%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
NGG
28.64%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%

PPL

Utilities industry group

23.59%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
PPL
23.59%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%
Loading chart…
National Grid (NGG) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for National Grid (NGG) and PPL (PPL)
MetricNGGPPL
ROE (TTM)10.31%8.63%
ROA (TTM)3.33%3.20%
Net Margin (TTM)21.15%13.47%
Operating Margin (TTM)28.64%23.59%
Gross Margin (TTM)100.00%44.09%

Growth

Revenue Growth

PPL (PPL) at 6.85% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while National Grid (NGG) at -3.76% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

Loading chart…
National Grid (NGG) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: PPL (PPL) reports EPS growth of 32.50%, ranked against its industry; National Grid (NGG) has no EPS growth figure this period.

Loading chart…
National Grid (NGG) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for National Grid (NGG) and PPL (PPL)
MetricNGGPPL
Revenue Growth (YoY)-3.76%6.85%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-6.53%4.59%
EPS Growth (YoY)--32.50%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-30.59%15.95%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

PPL (PPL) at 0.91 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while National Grid (NGG) at 0.62 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for NGG.

NGG

Utilities industry group

0.62

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
NGG
0.62
Min
0.29

PPL

Utilities industry group

0.91

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
PPL
0.91
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29
Loading chart…
National Grid (NGG) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both National Grid (NGG) at 1.32 and PPL (PPL) at 1.35 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

NGG

Utilities industry group

1.32

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
NGG
1.32
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00

PPL

Utilities industry group

1.35

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
PPL
1.35
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
National Grid (NGG) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for National Grid (NGG) and PPL (PPL)
MetricNGGPPL
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.620.91
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.321.35
Net Debt / EBITDA6.325.33

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

PPL (PPL) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile National Grid (NGG) reports a yield of 0.57%, ranking against industry peers normally.

NGG

Utilities industry group

0.57%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
NGG
0.57%
Min
0.00%

PPL

Utilities industry group

0.00%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
PPL
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
National Grid (NGG) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

PPL (PPL) at 65.98% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while National Grid (NGG) at 71.97% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

NGG

Utilities industry group

71.97%

Max
113.04%
NGG
71.97%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%

PPL

Utilities industry group

65.98%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
PPL
65.98%
Median
56.38%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
National Grid (NGG) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for National Grid (NGG) and PPL (PPL)
MetricNGGPPL
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.57%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)71.97%65.98%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both National Grid (NGG) at 15.54 and PPL (PPL) at 20.57 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

NGG

Utilities industry group

15.54

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
Median
19.64
NGG
15.54
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34

PPL

Utilities industry group

20.57

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
PPL
20.57
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34
Loading chart…
National Grid (NGG) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

PPL (PPL) at 2.87 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while National Grid (NGG) at 4.46 sits in the pricier quartile — NGG costs more per dollar of sales.

NGG

Utilities industry group

4.46

Max
6.35
NGG
4.46
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00

PPL

Utilities industry group

2.87

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
PPL
2.87
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
National Grid (NGG) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

PPL (PPL) at 1.81 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while National Grid (NGG) at 9.36 prices above its benchmark range — NGG looks rich relative to book.

NGG

Utilities industry group

9.36

NGG
9.36
Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34

PPL

Utilities industry group

1.81

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
PPL
1.81
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34
Loading chart…
National Grid (NGG) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for National Grid (NGG) and PPL (PPL)
MetricNGGPPL
P/E Ratio (TTM)15.5420.57
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.462.87
P/B Ratio (MRQ)9.361.81
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-5.94%-7.19%