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NI vs. PPL: NiSource vs. PPL Stock Comparison

How do NiSource (NI) 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

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

Company profile comparison for NiSource (NI) and PPL (PPL)
Profile ItemNIPPL
NameNiSource Inc.PPL Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryMulti-UtilitiesElectric Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryMulti-UtilitiesElectric Utilities
Market Capitalization21.18 billion USD26.94 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

NI
PPL
GSPC
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NiSource (NI) 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

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Trailing total returns for NiSource (NI) and PPL (PPL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for NiSource (NI) and PPL (PPL). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for NiSource (NI) and PPL (PPL)
MetricNIPPL
Total Return (1Y)6.11%1.73%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)25.66%16.47%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)16.11%8.32%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

NI
PPL
GSPC
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NiSource (NI) 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

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Distribution of monthly total returns for NiSource (NI) and PPL (PPL). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for NiSource (NI) and PPL (PPL)
MetricNIPPL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)18.23%18.30%
Beta (5Y)0.530.54
Max Drawdown (5Y)-24.76%-24.73%
Avg. Volume (3M)5.64M7.63M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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NI 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 NiSource (NI) and PPL (PPL)
MetricNIPPL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.10-0.14
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.14-0.19

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both NiSource (NI) at 8.71% 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.

NI

Utilities industry group

8.71%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
NI
8.71%
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%
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NiSource (NI) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both NiSource (NI) at 13.51% and PPL (PPL) at 13.47% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

NI

Utilities industry group

13.51%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
NI
13.51%
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%
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NiSource (NI) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both NiSource (NI) at 25.20% and PPL (PPL) at 23.59% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

NI

Utilities industry group

25.20%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
NI
25.20%
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%
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NiSource (NI) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for NiSource (NI) and PPL (PPL)
MetricNIPPL
ROE (TTM)8.71%8.63%
ROA (TTM)3.25%3.20%
Net Margin (TTM)13.51%13.47%
Operating Margin (TTM)25.20%23.59%
Gross Margin (TTM)50.92%44.09%

Growth

Revenue Growth

NiSource (NI) at 21.76% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while PPL (PPL) at 6.85% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for NI.

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NiSource (NI) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both NiSource (NI) at 20.37% and PPL (PPL) at 32.50% sit in the top peer quartile for EPS growth, so each is compounding per-share earnings faster than typical industry peers.

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NiSource (NI) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for NiSource (NI) and PPL (PPL)
MetricNIPPL
Revenue Growth (YoY)21.76%6.85%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)4.32%4.59%
EPS Growth (YoY)20.37%32.50%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)4.68%15.95%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

PPL (PPL) at 0.91 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while NiSource (NI) at 0.50 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for NI.

NI

Utilities industry group

0.50

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
NI
0.50
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
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NiSource (NI) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both NiSource (NI) at 1.53 and PPL (PPL) at 1.35 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

NI

Utilities industry group

1.53

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
NI
1.53
Median
1.35
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
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NiSource (NI) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for NiSource (NI) and PPL (PPL)
MetricNIPPL
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.500.91
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.531.35
Net Debt / EBITDA5.875.33

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 NiSource (NI) reports a yield of 0.68%, ranking against industry peers normally.

NI

Utilities industry group

0.68%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
NI
0.68%
Q1
0.66%
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%
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NiSource (NI) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both NiSource (NI) at 60.51% and PPL (PPL) at 65.98% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

NI

Utilities industry group

60.51%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
NI
60.51%
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%
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NiSource (NI) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for NiSource (NI) and PPL (PPL)
MetricNIPPL
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.68%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)60.51%65.98%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both NiSource (NI) at 22.64 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.

NI

Utilities industry group

22.64

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
NI
22.64
Median
19.64
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
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NiSource (NI) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both NiSource (NI) at 3.04 and PPL (PPL) at 2.87 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

NI

Utilities industry group

3.04

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
NI
3.04
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
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NiSource (NI) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both NiSource (NI) at 2.21 and PPL (PPL) at 1.81 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

NI

Utilities industry group

2.21

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
NI
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
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NiSource (NI) vs. PPL (PPL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for NiSource (NI) and PPL (PPL)
MetricNIPPL
P/E Ratio (TTM)22.6420.57
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.042.87
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.211.81
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-10.51%-7.19%