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PPL vs. XEL: PPL vs. Xcel Energy Stock Comparison

How do PPL (PPL) 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

PPL (PPL) and Xcel Energy (XEL) are both classified in the Electric Utilities sub-industry within the broader Electric Utilities industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for PPL (PPL) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
Profile ItemPPLXEL
NamePPL CorporationXcel Energy Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryElectric UtilitiesElectric Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryElectric UtilitiesElectric Utilities
Market Capitalization26.94 billion USD51.14 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980February 21, 1973
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

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

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for PPL (PPL) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricPPLXEL
Total Return (1Y)1.73%2.65%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)16.47%14.93%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)8.32%8.26%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for PPL (PPL) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricPPLXEL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)18.30%19.49%
Beta (5Y)0.540.33
Max Drawdown (5Y)-24.73%-34.41%
Avg. Volume (3M)7.63M5.83M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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PPL 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 PPL (PPL) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricPPLXEL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.14-0.08
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.19-0.12

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both PPL (PPL) at 8.63% 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.

PPL

Utilities industry group

8.63%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
PPL
8.63%
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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PPL (PPL) 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 PPL (PPL) at 13.47%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

PPL

Utilities industry group

13.47%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
PPL
13.47%
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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PPL (PPL) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both PPL (PPL) at 23.59% and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 28.50% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

PPL

Utilities industry group

23.59%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
PPL
23.59%
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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PPL (PPL) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for PPL (PPL) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricPPLXEL
ROE (TTM)8.63%11.44%
ROA (TTM)3.20%2.37%
Net Margin (TTM)13.47%17.95%
Operating Margin (TTM)23.59%28.50%
Gross Margin (TTM)44.09%47.27%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both PPL (PPL) at 6.85% and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 9.14% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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PPL (PPL) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

PPL (PPL) at 32.50% 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 PPL.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for PPL (PPL) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricPPLXEL
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.85%9.14%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)4.59%-1.42%
EPS Growth (YoY)32.50%-0.58%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)15.95%2.56%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both PPL (PPL) at 0.91 and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 0.69 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

PPL

Utilities industry group

0.91

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
PPL
0.91
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
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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PPL (PPL) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both PPL (PPL) at 1.35 and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 1.68 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

PPL

Utilities industry group

1.35

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
PPL
1.35
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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PPL (PPL) 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 PPL (PPL) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricPPLXEL
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.910.69
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.351.68
Net Debt / EBITDA5.336.35

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 Xcel Energy (XEL) reports a yield of 2.92%, ranking against industry peers normally.

PPL

Utilities industry group

0.00%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
PPL
0.00%
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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PPL (PPL) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both PPL (PPL) at 65.98% 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.

PPL

Utilities industry group

65.98%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
PPL
65.98%
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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PPL (PPL) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for PPL (PPL) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricPPLXEL
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%2.92%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)65.98%54.72%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both PPL (PPL) at 20.57 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.

PPL

Utilities industry group

20.57

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
PPL
20.57
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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PPL (PPL) 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 PPL (PPL) at 2.87 and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 3.44 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

PPL

Utilities industry group

2.87

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
PPL
2.87
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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PPL (PPL) 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 PPL (PPL) at 1.81 and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 1.98 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

PPL

Utilities industry group

1.81

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
PPL
1.81
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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PPL (PPL) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for PPL (PPL) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricPPLXEL
P/E Ratio (TTM)20.5718.57
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.873.44
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.811.98
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-7.19%-16.32%