PPL vs. SMR: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at PPL and SMR, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | PPL | SMR |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | PPL Corporation | NuScale Power Corporation |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Utilities | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Electric Utilities | Electrical Equipment |
| Market Capitalization | 27.00 billion USD | 4.81 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | March 17, 1980 | March 1, 2022 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of PPL and SMR 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 | PPL | SMR |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -0.60% | 9.95% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 6.20% | 41.79% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 6.16% | 69.90% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 15.72% | 347.07% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 2.30% | -28.50% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 12.48% | 100.22% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 6.71M | 10.82M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 6.05M | 12.73M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 16.06% | 108.43% |
| Beta | 0.68 | 2.07 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
PPL
6.96%
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 23.82%
- Q3
- 14.31%
- Median
- 10.58%
- Q1
- 7.57%
- Min
- 1.03%
PPL’s Return on Equity of 6.96% is in the lower quartile for the Electric Utilities industry. This indicates a less efficient generation of profit from its equity base when compared to its competitors.
SMR
-22.81%
Electrical Equipment Industry
- Max
- 37.56%
- Q3
- 20.60%
- Median
- 14.38%
- Q1
- 4.35%
- Min
- 0.90%
SMR has a negative Return on Equity of -22.81%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
PPL
21.66%
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 29.46%
- Q3
- 17.23%
- Median
- 11.43%
- Q1
- 7.33%
- Min
- -2.53%
A Net Profit Margin of 21.66% places PPL in the upper quartile for the Electric Utilities industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
SMR
-221.07%
Electrical Equipment Industry
- Max
- 20.43%
- Q3
- 10.97%
- Median
- 6.07%
- Q1
- 3.16%
- Min
- 0.29%
SMR has a negative Net Profit Margin of -221.07%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
PPL
38.77%
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 46.44%
- Q3
- 26.51%
- Median
- 19.26%
- Q1
- 11.77%
- Min
- 2.81%
An Operating Profit Margin of 38.77% places PPL in the upper quartile for the Electric Utilities industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
SMR
-233.90%
Electrical Equipment Industry
- Max
- 26.20%
- Q3
- 14.31%
- Median
- 7.54%
- Q1
- 3.77%
- Min
- -5.64%
SMR has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -233.90%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | PPL | SMR |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 6.96% | -22.81% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 2.38% | -24.54% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 21.66% | -221.07% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 38.77% | -233.90% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | -- | 71.50% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
PPL
0.59
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 1.81
- Q3
- 1.22
- Median
- 0.99
- Q1
- 0.78
- Min
- 0.34
PPL’s Current Ratio of 0.59 falls into the lower quartile for the Electric Utilities industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
SMR
4.22
Electrical Equipment Industry
- Max
- 3.02
- Q3
- 1.99
- Median
- 1.41
- Q1
- 1.07
- Min
- 0.80
SMR’s Current Ratio of 4.22 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Electrical Equipment industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
PPL
1.25
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 3.40
- Q3
- 1.83
- Median
- 1.32
- Q1
- 0.64
- Min
- 0.00
PPL’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.25 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.
SMR
0.00
Electrical Equipment Industry
- Max
- 1.44
- Q3
- 0.99
- Median
- 0.56
- Q1
- 0.24
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Electrical Equipment industry, SMR’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.00 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
PPL
2.58
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 18.68
- Q3
- 10.64
- Median
- 3.32
- Q1
- 2.62
- Min
- -3.31
In the lower quartile for the Electric Utilities industry, PPL’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 2.58 indicates a tighter cushion for servicing debt, suggesting less financial flexibility than many of its competitors.
SMR
-58.59
Electrical Equipment Industry
- Max
- 36.12
- Q3
- 19.29
- Median
- 9.38
- Q1
- 1.16
- Min
- -10.92
SMR has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -58.59. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | PPL | SMR |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.59 | 4.22 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.45 | 4.18 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 1.25 | 0.00 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 2.58 | -58.59 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
PPL
2.83%
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 7.00%
- Q3
- 4.67%
- Median
- 3.84%
- Q1
- 2.48%
- Min
- 0.00%
PPL’s Dividend Yield of 2.83% is consistent with its peers in the Electric Utilities industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
SMR
0.00%
Electrical Equipment Industry
- Max
- 2.20%
- Q3
- 1.53%
- Median
- 1.01%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
SMR currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
PPL
78.14%
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 150.16%
- Q3
- 88.91%
- Median
- 65.69%
- Q1
- 34.65%
- Min
- 0.00%
PPL’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 78.14% is within the typical range for the Electric Utilities industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
SMR
0.00%
Electrical Equipment Industry
- Max
- 119.44%
- Q3
- 51.87%
- Median
- 27.71%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
SMR has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | PPL | SMR |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.83% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 78.14% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
PPL
27.66
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 39.85
- Q3
- 21.79
- Median
- 15.62
- Q1
- 8.97
- Min
- 3.03
A P/E Ratio of 27.66 places PPL 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.
SMR
--
Electrical Equipment Industry
- Max
- 81.85
- Q3
- 44.17
- Median
- 27.61
- Q1
- 18.62
- Min
- 7.73
P/E Ratio data for SMR is currently unavailable.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
PPL
6.76
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 5.96
- Q3
- 3.09
- Median
- 1.93
- Q1
- 1.14
- Min
- 0.15
With a P/S Ratio of 6.76, PPL trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Electric Utilities industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
SMR
171.50
Electrical Equipment Industry
- Max
- 8.18
- Q3
- 4.02
- Median
- 1.84
- Q1
- 0.97
- Min
- 0.44
With a P/S Ratio of 171.50, SMR trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Electrical Equipment industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
PPL
1.75
Electric Utilities Industry
- Max
- 2.99
- Q3
- 1.99
- Median
- 1.46
- Q1
- 1.11
- Min
- 0.18
PPL’s P/B Ratio of 1.75 is within the conventional range for the Electric 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.
SMR
16.24
Electrical Equipment Industry
- Max
- 8.50
- Q3
- 4.53
- Median
- 3.39
- Q1
- 1.70
- Min
- 0.51
At 16.24, SMR’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Electrical Equipment industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | PPL | SMR |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 27.66 | -- |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 6.76 | 171.50 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 1.75 | 16.24 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 138.00 | -- |