NGG vs. XEL: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at NGG and XEL, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
NGG trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors a convenient way to access its foreign-listed shares. In contrast, XEL is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | NGG | XEL |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | National Grid plc | Xcel Energy Inc. |
| Country | United Kingdom | United States |
| GICS Sector | Utilities | Utilities |
| GICS Industry | Multi-Utilities | Electric Utilities |
| Market Capitalization | 72.30 billion USD | 47.50 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NasdaqGS |
| Listing Date | August 10, 2005 | February 21, 1973 |
| Security Type | ADR | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of NGG and XEL 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 | NGG | XEL |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 1.72% | 3.49% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -0.51% | 18.43% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 10.60% | 17.02% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 1.91% | 24.90% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 2.55% | 11.41% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 12.37% | 19.45% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 7.44M | 6.85M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 8.66M | 3.85M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 16.72% | 19.54% |
| Beta | 0.48 | 0.40 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
NGG
7.88%
Multi-Utilities Industry
- Max
- 20.00%
- Q3
- 13.79%
- Median
- 9.45%
- Q1
- 7.88%
- Min
- 4.56%
NGG’s Return on Equity of 7.88% is on par with the norm for the Multi-Utilities industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
XEL
10.41%
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 25.46%
- Q3
- 14.70%
- Median
- 10.64%
- Q1
- 6.99%
- Min
- 0.02%
XEL’s Return on Equity of 10.41% is on par with the norm for the Electric Utilities industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
NGG
21.07%
Multi-Utilities Industry
- Max
- 23.49%
- Q3
- 14.79%
- Median
- 9.24%
- Q1
- 4.19%
- Min
- -1.05%
A Net Profit Margin of 21.07% places NGG in the upper quartile for the Multi-Utilities industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
XEL
14.91%
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 29.56%
- Q3
- 16.54%
- Median
- 11.20%
- Q1
- 7.30%
- Min
- 0.01%
XEL’s Net Profit Margin of 14.91% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Electric Utilities industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
NGG
35.82%
Multi-Utilities Industry
- Max
- 45.01%
- Q3
- 26.69%
- Median
- 19.18%
- Q1
- 7.66%
- Min
- -0.18%
An Operating Profit Margin of 35.82% places NGG in the upper quartile for the Multi-Utilities industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
XEL
18.07%
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 38.77%
- Q3
- 25.54%
- Median
- 18.87%
- Q1
- 14.12%
- Min
- 0.02%
XEL’s Operating Profit Margin of 18.07% is around the midpoint for the Electric Utilities industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | NGG | XEL |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 7.88% | 10.41% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 2.78% | 2.89% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 21.07% | 14.91% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 35.82% | 18.07% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | -- | 40.44% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
NGG
1.35
Multi-Utilities Industry
- Max
- 1.35
- Q3
- 1.10
- Median
- 0.95
- Q1
- 0.82
- Min
- 0.48
NGG’s Current Ratio of 1.35 is in the upper quartile for the Multi-Utilities industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.
XEL
0.96
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 1.82
- Q3
- 1.23
- Median
- 0.98
- Q1
- 0.72
- Min
- 0.13
XEL’s Current Ratio of 0.96 aligns with the median group of the Electric Utilities industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
NGG
1.26
Multi-Utilities Industry
- Max
- 3.03
- Q3
- 2.00
- Median
- 1.55
- Q1
- 1.24
- Min
- 0.58
NGG’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.26 is typical for the Multi-Utilities industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
XEL
1.54
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 3.72
- Q3
- 1.90
- Median
- 1.27
- Q1
- 0.62
- Min
- 0.00
XEL’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.54 is typical for the Electric Utilities industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
NGG
4.29
Multi-Utilities Industry
- Max
- 9.98
- Q3
- 5.96
- Median
- 3.48
- Q1
- 2.74
- Min
- 0.59
NGG’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 4.29 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Multi-Utilities industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
XEL
2.32
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, XEL’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 2.32 indicates a tighter cushion for servicing debt, suggesting less financial flexibility than many of its competitors.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | NGG | XEL |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.35 | 0.96 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.30 | 0.73 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 1.26 | 1.54 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 4.29 | 2.32 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
NGG
2.89%
Multi-Utilities Industry
- Max
- 10.02%
- Q3
- 5.84%
- Median
- 4.22%
- Q1
- 2.96%
- Min
- 0.00%
NGG’s Dividend Yield of 2.89% 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.
XEL
2.57%
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 6.61%
- Q3
- 4.66%
- Median
- 3.55%
- Q1
- 2.23%
- Min
- 0.00%
XEL’s Dividend Yield of 2.57% is consistent with its peers in the Electric Utilities industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
NGG
52.69%
Multi-Utilities Industry
- Max
- 161.38%
- Q3
- 101.19%
- Median
- 73.21%
- Q1
- 58.41%
- Min
- 31.93%
NGG’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 52.69% is in the lower quartile for the Multi-Utilities industry. This suggests a conservative dividend policy, with a strategic focus on reinvesting profits for future growth.
XEL
59.09%
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 140.33%
- Q3
- 84.46%
- Median
- 60.94%
- Q1
- 31.83%
- Min
- 0.00%
XEL’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 59.09% is within the typical range for the Electric Utilities industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | NGG | XEL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.89% | 2.57% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 52.69% | 59.09% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
NGG
18.25
Multi-Utilities Industry
- Max
- 27.93
- Q3
- 20.57
- Median
- 15.98
- Q1
- 9.34
- Min
- 5.25
NGG’s P/E Ratio of 18.25 is within the middle range for the Multi-Utilities industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
XEL
23.04
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 34.39
- Q3
- 21.23
- Median
- 15.47
- Q1
- 10.17
- Min
- 3.08
A P/E Ratio of 23.04 places XEL in the upper quartile for the Electric 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)
NGG
3.84
Multi-Utilities Industry
- Max
- 5.00
- Q3
- 3.46
- Median
- 1.80
- Q1
- 0.46
- Min
- 0.26
NGG’s P/S Ratio of 3.84 is in the upper echelon for the Multi-Utilities industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
XEL
3.44
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 6.03
- Q3
- 3.06
- Median
- 1.89
- Q1
- 1.06
- Min
- 0.00
XEL’s P/S Ratio of 3.44 is in the upper echelon for the Electric Utilities industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
NGG
1.31
Multi-Utilities Industry
- Max
- 2.52
- Q3
- 2.12
- Median
- 1.55
- Q1
- 1.25
- Min
- 0.91
NGG’s P/B Ratio of 1.31 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.
XEL
1.87
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 2.97
- Q3
- 1.86
- Median
- 1.46
- Q1
- 1.01
- Min
- 0.27
XEL’s P/B Ratio of 1.87 is in the upper tier for the Electric Utilities industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | NGG | XEL |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 18.25 | 23.04 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 3.84 | 3.44 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 1.31 | 1.87 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 715.70 | 90.27 |