Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Edison International (EIX) vs National Grid plc (NGG) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | EIX | 9.8% revenue growth vs NGG's -7.4% |
| Value | EIX | Lower P/E (12.2x vs 23.1x), PEG 0.29 vs 2.23 |
| Quality / Margins | EIX | 24.3% net margin vs NGG's 12.7% |
| Stability / Safety | NGG | Beta 0.04 vs EIX's 0.56 |
| Dividends | NGG | 2.2% yield, vs EIX's 0.5% |
| Momentum (1Y) | NGG | +55.9% vs EIX's +43.5% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | EIX | 19.0% ROA vs NGG's 4.5%, ROIC 13.9% vs 4.6% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Valuation efficiency (growth/$)
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Edison International is a regulated electric utility that generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to approximately 15 million customers across Southern California. It makes money primarily through regulated rate-based operations — earning a return on its capital investments in power generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure — with its Southern California Edison subsidiary contributing the vast majority of revenue. The company's key advantage is its regulated monopoly status in its service territory, providing stable cash flows through authorized returns on its massive infrastructure investments.
National Grid is a regulated utility that operates electricity and gas transmission and distribution networks in the UK and northeastern United States. It earns revenue through regulated asset returns — collecting fees from customers for using its infrastructure — with its UK transmission business contributing roughly 40% of operating profit and its US operations about 35%. The company's primary moat comes from its natural monopoly position as an owner of critical energy infrastructure, protected by high regulatory barriers to entry and long-term, stable rate-of-return frameworks.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
EIX leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). NGG leads in 3 (Total Returns, Risk & Volatility).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
NGG is the larger business by revenue, generating $36.8B annually — 1.9x EIX's $19.3B. EIX is the more profitable business, keeping 24.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to NGG's 12.7%. On growth, EIX holds the edge at +30.8% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | EIXEdison Internatio… | NGGNational Grid plc |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $19.3B | $36.8B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $10.3B | $12.5B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $4.7B | $4.7B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$715M | -$4.8B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | — | +100.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +36.7% | +24.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +24.3% | +12.7% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -3.7% | -13.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +30.8% | -11.3% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +4.4% | -7.1% |
Valuation Metrics
At 6.5x trailing earnings, EIX trades at a 73% valuation discount to NGG's 23.6x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), EIX offers better value at 0.15x vs NGG's 2.28x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | EIXEdison Internatio… | NGGNational Grid plc |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $32.5B | $93.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $35.9B | $155.6B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 6.47x | 23.63x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 12.19x | 23.15x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.15x | 2.28x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 3.48x | 16.27x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.68x | 3.77x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.64x | 1.81x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
EIX delivers a 26.7% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $27 in annual profit, vs $13 for NGG. EIX carries lower financial leverage with a 0.20x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to NGG's 1.26x.
| Metric | EIXEdison Internatio… | NGGNational Grid plc |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +26.7% | +12.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +19.0% | +4.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +13.9% | +4.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +15.5% | +5.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.20x | 1.26x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $3.4B | $46.4B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1M | $1.2B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $3.4B | $47.5B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 2.73x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in NGG five years ago would be worth $19,895 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $16,351 for EIX. Over the past 12 months, NGG leads with a +55.9% total return vs EIX's +43.5%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors NGG at 19.5% vs EIX's 8.4% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | EIXEdison Internatio… | NGGNational Grid plc |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +24.1% | +19.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +43.5% | +55.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +27.3% | +70.6% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +63.5% | +98.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +48.9% | +84.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +8.4% | +19.5% |
Risk & Volatility
NGG is the less volatile stock with a 0.04 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than EIX's 0.56 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | EIXEdison Internatio… | NGGNational Grid plc |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.56x | 0.04x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $75.50 | $94.64 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $47.73 | $59.35 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +99.0% | +99.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 75.0 | 75.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 2.7M | 695K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates EIX as "Buy" and NGG as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply -8.6% upside for EIX (target: $68) vs -8.8% for NGG (target: $86). For income investors, NGG offers the higher dividend yield at 2.23% vs EIX's 0.47%.
| Metric | EIXEdison Internatio… | NGGNational Grid plc |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $68.33 | $85.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 36 | 20 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.5% | +2.2% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.35 | $1.56 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.1% | +0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Feb 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edison International (EIX) | 100 | 90.42 | -9.6% |
| National Grid plc (NGG) | 100 | 133.75 | +33.7% |
National Grid plc (NGG) returned +99% over 5 years vs Edison International (EIX)'s +64%. A $10,000 investment in NGG 5 years ago would be worth $19,895 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edison International (EIX) | $11.9B | $19.3B | +62.8% |
| National Grid plc (NGG) | $13.2B | $18.4B | +39.1% |
Edison International's revenue grew from $11.9B (2016) to $19.3B (2025) — a 5.6% CAGR. National Grid plc's revenue grew from $13.2B (2016) to $18.4B (2025) — a 3.7% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edison International (EIX) | 12.1% | 24.3% | +101.4% |
| National Grid plc (NGG) | 14.4% | 15.8% | +9.9% |
Edison International's net margin went from 12% (2016) to 24% (2025). National Grid plc's net margin went from 14% (2016) to 16% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edison International (EIX) | 36.8 | 5.2 | -85.9% |
| National Grid plc (NGG) | 5.2 | 26.2 | +403.8% |
Edison International has traded in a 5x–40x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~6x. National Grid plc has traded in a 5x–33x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~24x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edison International (EIX) | 3.97 | 11.55 | +190.9% |
| National Grid plc (NGG) | 3.75 | 2.95 | -21.3% |
Edison International's EPS grew from $3.97 (2016) to $11.55 (2025) — a 13% CAGR. National Grid plc's EPS grew from $3.75 (2016) to $2.95 (2025) — a -3% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Edison International generated $-715M FCF in 2025 (+87% vs 2021). National Grid plc generated $-2B FCF in 2025 (-211% vs 2021).
EIX vs NGG: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is EIX or NGG a better buy right now?
Edison International (EIX) offers the better valuation at 6.5x trailing P/E (12.2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Edison International (EIX) a "Buy" — based on 36 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — EIX or NGG?
On trailing P/E, Edison International (EIX) is the cheapest at 6.5x versus National Grid plc at 23.6x. On forward P/E, Edison International is actually cheaper at 12.2x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Edison International wins at 0.29x versus National Grid plc's 2.23x — a PEG below 1.0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — EIX or NGG?
Over the past 5 years, National Grid plc (NGG) delivered a total return of +98.9%, compared to +63.5% for Edison International (EIX). A $10,000 investment in NGG five years ago would be worth approximately $20K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NGG returned +84.4% versus EIX's +48.9%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — EIX or NGG?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), National Grid plc (NGG) is the lower-risk stock at 0.04β versus Edison International's 0.56β — meaning EIX is approximately 1186% more volatile than NGG relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Edison International (EIX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 20% versus 126% for National Grid plc — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — EIX or NGG?
Edison International (EIX) is the more profitable company, earning 24.3% net margin versus 15.8% for National Grid plc — meaning it keeps 24.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EIX leads at 36.7% versus 26.8% for NGG. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NGG leads at 77.4%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is EIX or NGG more undervalued right now?
The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential. By this metric, Edison International (EIX) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0.29x versus National Grid plc's 2.23x. A PEG below 1.0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Edison International (EIX) trades at 12.2x forward P/E versus 23.1x for National Grid plc — 11.0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for EIX: -8.6% to $68.33.
07Which pays a better dividend — EIX or NGG?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. National Grid plc (NGG) offers the highest yield at 2.2%, versus 0.5% for Edison International (EIX).
08Is EIX or NGG better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, National Grid plc (NGG) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.04), 2.2% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (NGG: +84.4%, EIX: +48.9%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between EIX and NGG?
Both stocks operate in the Utilities sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: EIX is a mid-cap deep-value stock; NGG is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. NGG pays a dividend while EIX does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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