Seek Returns

NI vs. WEC: NiSource vs. WEC Energy Stock Comparison

How do NiSource (NI) and WEC Energy (WEC) 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 WEC Energy (WEC) are both classified in the Multi-Utilities sub-industry within the broader Multi-Utilities industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for NiSource (NI) and WEC Energy (WEC)
Profile ItemNIWEC
NameNiSource Inc.WEC Energy Group Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryMulti-UtilitiesMulti-Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryMulti-UtilitiesMulti-Utilities
Market Capitalization21.18 billion USD38.12 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

NI
WEC
GSPC
Loading price history…
NiSource (NI) vs. WEC Energy (WEC), 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 NiSource (NI) and WEC Energy (WEC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for NiSource (NI) and WEC Energy (WEC). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for NiSource (NI) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricNIWEC
Total Return (1Y)6.11%7.80%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)25.66%18.04%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)16.11%9.22%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

NI
WEC
GSPC
Loading price history…
NiSource (NI) vs. WEC Energy (WEC), 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 NiSource (NI) and WEC Energy (WEC). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for NiSource (NI) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricNIWEC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)18.23%17.21%
Beta (5Y)0.530.43
Max Drawdown (5Y)-24.76%-26.02%
Avg. Volume (3M)5.64M2.71M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
NI and WEC 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 WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricNIWEC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.100.20
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.140.31

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

WEC Energy (WEC) at 12.49% sits in the top ROE quartile, while NiSource (NI) at 8.71% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for WEC.

NI

Utilities industry group

8.71%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
NI
8.71%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%

WEC

Utilities industry group

12.49%

Max
17.99%
WEC
12.49%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
Loading chart…
NiSource (NI) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

WEC Energy (WEC) at 17.53% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of NiSource (NI) at 13.51%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

NI

Utilities industry group

13.51%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
NI
13.51%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%

WEC

Utilities industry group

17.53%

Max
28.78%
WEC
17.53%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%
Loading chart…
NiSource (NI) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both NiSource (NI) at 25.20% and WEC Energy (WEC) at 25.44% 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%

WEC

Utilities industry group

25.44%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
WEC
25.44%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%
Loading chart…
NiSource (NI) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for NiSource (NI) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricNIWEC
ROE (TTM)8.71%12.49%
ROA (TTM)3.25%3.08%
Net Margin (TTM)13.51%17.53%
Operating Margin (TTM)25.20%25.44%
Gross Margin (TTM)50.92%42.36%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both NiSource (NI) at 21.76% and WEC Energy (WEC) at 13.96% sit in the top peer quartile for revenue growth, so each is growing its top line faster than typical industry peers.

Loading chart…
NiSource (NI) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

NiSource (NI) at 20.37% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while WEC Energy (WEC) at -0.41% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for NI.

Loading chart…
NiSource (NI) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for NiSource (NI) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricNIWEC
Revenue Growth (YoY)21.76%13.96%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)4.32%0.70%
EPS Growth (YoY)20.37%-0.41%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)4.68%2.63%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both NiSource (NI) at 0.50 and WEC Energy (WEC) at 0.53 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

NI

Utilities industry group

0.50

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
NI
0.50
Min
0.29

WEC

Utilities industry group

0.53

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
WEC
0.53
Min
0.29
Loading chart…
NiSource (NI) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both NiSource (NI) at 1.53 and WEC Energy (WEC) at 1.54 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

WEC

Utilities industry group

1.54

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
WEC
1.54
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
NiSource (NI) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for NiSource (NI) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricNIWEC
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.500.53
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.531.54
Net Debt / EBITDA5.875.66

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both NiSource (NI) at 0.68% and WEC Energy (WEC) at 3.17% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

NI

Utilities industry group

0.68%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
NI
0.68%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%

WEC

Utilities industry group

3.17%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
WEC
3.17%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
NiSource (NI) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both NiSource (NI) at 60.51% and WEC Energy (WEC) at 68.18% 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%

WEC

Utilities industry group

68.18%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
WEC
68.18%
Median
56.38%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
NiSource (NI) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for NiSource (NI) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricNIWEC
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.68%3.17%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)60.51%68.18%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both NiSource (NI) at 22.64 and WEC Energy (WEC) at 21.07 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

WEC

Utilities industry group

21.07

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
WEC
21.07
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34
Loading chart…
NiSource (NI) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

NiSource (NI) at 3.04 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while WEC Energy (WEC) at 3.69 sits in the pricier quartile — WEC costs more per dollar of sales.

NI

Utilities industry group

3.04

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
NI
3.04
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00

WEC

Utilities industry group

3.69

Max
6.35
WEC
3.69
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
NiSource (NI) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

NiSource (NI) at 2.21 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while WEC Energy (WEC) at 2.62 carries an above-peer premium to book — WEC is pricier on assets.

NI

Utilities industry group

2.21

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
NI
2.21
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34

WEC

Utilities industry group

2.62

Max
3.12
WEC
2.62
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34
Loading chart…
NiSource (NI) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for NiSource (NI) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricNIWEC
P/E Ratio (TTM)22.6421.07
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.043.69
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.212.62
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-10.51%-5.16%