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NI vs. XEL: NiSource vs. Xcel Energy Stock Comparison

How do NiSource (NI) 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

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

Company profile comparison for NiSource (NI) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
Profile ItemNIXEL
NameNiSource Inc.Xcel Energy Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryMulti-UtilitiesElectric Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryMulti-UtilitiesElectric Utilities
Market Capitalization21.18 billion USD51.14 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973February 21, 1973
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

NI
XEL
GSPC
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NiSource (NI) 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 NiSource (NI) and Xcel Energy (XEL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for NiSource (NI) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricNIXEL
Total Return (1Y)6.11%2.65%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)25.66%14.93%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)16.11%8.26%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for NiSource (NI) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricNIXEL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)18.23%19.49%
Beta (5Y)0.530.33
Max Drawdown (5Y)-24.76%-34.41%
Avg. Volume (3M)5.64M5.83M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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NI 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 NiSource (NI) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricNIXEL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.10-0.08
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.14-0.12

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both NiSource (NI) at 8.71% and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 11.44% 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%

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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NiSource (NI) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Xcel Energy (XEL) at 17.95% 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%

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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NiSource (NI) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both NiSource (NI) at 25.20% and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 28.50% 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%

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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NiSource (NI) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for NiSource (NI) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricNIXEL
ROE (TTM)8.71%11.44%
ROA (TTM)3.25%2.37%
Net Margin (TTM)13.51%17.95%
Operating Margin (TTM)25.20%28.50%
Gross Margin (TTM)50.92%47.27%

Growth

Revenue Growth

NiSource (NI) at 21.76% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Xcel Energy (XEL) at 9.14% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for NI.

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NiSource (NI) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): 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 Xcel Energy (XEL) at -0.58% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for NI.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for NiSource (NI) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricNIXEL
Revenue Growth (YoY)21.76%9.14%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)4.32%-1.42%
EPS Growth (YoY)20.37%-0.58%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)4.68%2.56%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Xcel Energy (XEL) at 0.69 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

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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NiSource (NI) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both NiSource (NI) at 1.53 and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 1.68 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

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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NiSource (NI) 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 NiSource (NI) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricNIXEL
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.500.69
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.531.68
Net Debt / EBITDA5.876.35

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both NiSource (NI) at 0.68% and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 2.92% 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%

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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NiSource (NI) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both NiSource (NI) at 60.51% 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.

NI

Utilities industry group

60.51%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
NI
60.51%
Median
56.38%
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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NiSource (NI) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for NiSource (NI) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricNIXEL
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.68%2.92%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)60.51%54.72%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both NiSource (NI) at 22.64 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.

NI

Utilities industry group

22.64

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
NI
22.64
Median
19.64
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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NiSource (NI) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): 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 Xcel Energy (XEL) at 3.44 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

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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NiSource (NI) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): 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 Xcel Energy (XEL) at 1.98 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

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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NiSource (NI) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for NiSource (NI) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricNIXEL
P/E Ratio (TTM)22.6418.57
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.043.44
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.211.98
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-10.51%-16.32%