Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Ameren Corporation (AEE) vs NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE) vs Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) 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 | AEE | 15.4% revenue growth vs DUK's 6.2% |
| Value | DUK | Lower P/E (19.5x vs 23.3x), PEG 0.66 vs 1.35 |
| Quality / Margins | NEE | 24.9% net margin vs DUK's 15.7% |
| Stability / Safety | AEE | Beta 0.18 vs NEE's 0.35 |
| Dividends | AEE | 2.5% yield, 16-year raise streak, vs NEE's 2.4% |
| Momentum (1Y) | NEE | +37.8% vs AEE's +14.3% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | NEE | 3.2% ROA vs DUK's 2.6%, ROIC 4.1% 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
Ameren is a regulated electric and natural gas utility serving customers in Missouri and Illinois through rate-regulated generation, transmission, and distribution operations. It earns revenue primarily from regulated electric service (roughly 80% of total) and natural gas distribution, with rates set by state commissions that allow recovery of costs plus a reasonable return. Its key advantage is its regulated monopoly status in its service territories, providing stable cash flows through cost-of-service ratemaking.
NextEra Energy is a major electric utility and clean energy developer that operates regulated utilities in Florida while also building renewable projects across North America. It makes money primarily through regulated utility operations — about 60% of earnings — and its competitive energy generation business that develops wind, solar, and battery storage projects. The company's key advantage is its massive scale in renewable energy development and its first-mover position in clean energy infrastructure, giving it unmatched project execution capabilities and cost advantages.
Duke Energy is a regulated electric and gas utility serving customers across six states in the Southeast and Midwest. It makes money primarily through regulated rate-based returns on its electric utility infrastructure (~70% of revenue) and gas distribution operations (~20%), with additional income from commercial renewable energy projects. Its key advantage is its monopoly status as a regulated utility in its service territories, which provides stable, predictable returns through government-approved rate structures.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 3 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
NEE leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Total Returns). DUK leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
DUK is the larger business by revenue, generating $31.8B annually — 3.6x AEE's $8.8B. NEE is the more profitable business, keeping 24.9% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to DUK's 15.7%. On growth, NEE holds the edge at +21.9% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | AEEAmeren Corporation | NEENextEra Energy, I… | DUKDuke Energy Corpo… |
|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $8.8B | $27.5B | $31.8B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $3.7B | $15.3B | $15.1B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $1.5B | $6.8B | $5.0B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$801M | -$28.3B | $9.0B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +38.1% | +62.8% | +59.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +23.0% | +30.1% | +27.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +16.5% | +24.9% | +15.7% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -9.1% | -103.0% | +28.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -8.2% | +21.9% | +6.3% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +19.5% | +25.9% | +15.3% |
Valuation Metrics
At 20.7x trailing earnings, DUK trades at a 27% valuation discount to NEE's 28.5x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), DUK offers better value at 0.70x vs AEE's 2.39x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | AEEAmeren Corporation | NEENextEra Energy, I… | DUKDuke Energy Corpo… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $31.3B | $195.3B | $101.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $51.1B | $288.1B | $192.4B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 21.17x | 28.50x | 20.74x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 21.14x | 23.33x | 19.52x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 2.39x | 1.65x | 0.70x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 13.84x | 18.78x | 12.91x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.56x | 7.11x | 3.16x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.28x | 2.95x | 1.92x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — | 8.25x |
Profitability & Efficiency
AEE delivers a 10.8% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $11 in annual profit, vs $9 for DUK. NEE carries lower financial leverage with a 1.44x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to DUK's 1.71x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), AEE scores 6/9 vs DUK's 5/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | AEEAmeren Corporation | NEENextEra Energy, I… | DUKDuke Energy Corpo… |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +10.8% | +10.3% | +9.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +3.0% | +3.2% | +2.6% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +4.7% | +4.1% | +4.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +4.7% | +4.7% | +5.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.47x | 1.44x | 1.71x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $19.8B | $92.8B | $90.6B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $13M | $2.8B | $245M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $19.8B | $95.6B | $90.9B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 2.61x | 1.81x | 2.36x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AEE five years ago would be worth $17,608 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $13,627 for NEE. Over the past 12 months, NEE leads with a +37.8% total return vs AEE's +14.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors DUK at 15.0% vs NEE's 12.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | AEEAmeren Corporation | NEENextEra Energy, I… | DUKDuke Energy Corpo… |
|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +12.3% | +16.6% | +12.3% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +14.3% | +37.8% | +15.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +46.7% | +41.0% | +52.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +76.1% | +36.3% | +73.8% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +187.8% | +287.2% | +128.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +13.6% | +12.1% | +15.0% |
Risk & Volatility
DUK is the less volatile stock with a -0.05 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than NEE's 0.35 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | AEEAmeren Corporation | NEENextEra Energy, I… | DUKDuke Energy Corpo… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.18x | 0.35x | -0.05x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $113.44 | $95.91 | $131.57 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $91.77 | $61.72 | $111.22 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +99.9% | +97.8% | +99.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 69.7 | 56.6 | 70.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.4M | 7.5M | 3.4M |
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: AEE as "Hold", NEE as "Buy", DUK as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 2.0% upside for DUK (target: $133) vs -0.5% for NEE (target: $93). For income investors, AEE offers the higher dividend yield at 2.49% vs NEE's 2.39%.
| Metric | AEEAmeren Corporation | NEENextEra Energy, I… | DUKDuke Energy Corpo… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $115.25 | $93.27 | $133.45 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 22 | 36 | 31 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +2.5% | +2.4% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 16 | 30 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.82 | $2.24 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ameren Corporation (AEE) | 100 | 123.14 | +23.1% |
| NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE) | 100 | 130.23 | +30.2% |
| Duke Energy Corpora… (DUK) | 100 | 154.04 | +54.0% |
Ameren Corporation (AEE) returned +76% over 5 years vs NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE)'s +36%. A $10,000 investment in AEE 5 years ago would be worth $17,608 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ameren Corporation (AEE) | $6.1B | $8.8B | +44.8% |
| NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE) | $16.1B | $27.5B | +70.3% |
| Duke Energy Corpora… (DUK) | $22.7B | $32.2B | +41.7% |
Ameren Corporation's revenue grew from $6.1B (2016) to $8.8B (2025) — a 4.2% CAGR. NextEra Energy, Inc.'s revenue grew from $16.1B (2016) to $27.5B (2025) — a 6.1% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ameren Corporation (AEE) | 10.7% | 16.5% | +54.0% |
| NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE) | 18.0% | 24.9% | +37.8% |
| Duke Energy Corpora… (DUK) | 11.7% | 15.4% | +31.5% |
Ameren Corporation's net margin went from 11% (2016) to 17% (2025). NextEra Energy, Inc.'s net margin went from 18% (2016) to 25% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ameren Corporation (AEE) | 27.6 | 18.7 | -32.2% |
| NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE) | 13.8 | 24.4 | +76.8% |
| Duke Energy Corpora… (DUK) | 19.3 | 18.6 | -3.6% |
Ameren Corporation has traded in a 17x–28x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~21x. NextEra Energy, Inc. has traded in a 13x–52x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~29x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ameren Corporation (AEE) | 2.68 | 5.35 | +99.6% |
| NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE) | 1.56 | 3.29 | +110.9% |
| Duke Energy Corpora… (DUK) | 3.11 | 6.31 | +102.9% |
Ameren Corporation's EPS grew from $2.68 (2016) to $5.35 (2025) — a 8% CAGR. NextEra Energy, Inc.'s EPS grew from $1.56 (2016) to $3.29 (2025) — a 9% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Ameren Corporation generated $-775M FCF in 2025 (+58% vs 2021). NextEra Energy, Inc. generated $-12B FCF in 2025 (-101% vs 2021).
AEE vs NEE vs DUK: Key Questions Answered
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is AEE or NEE or DUK a better buy right now?
Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) offers the better valuation at 20.7x trailing P/E (19.5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE) 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 — AEE or NEE or DUK?
On trailing P/E, Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) is the cheapest at 20.7x versus NextEra Energy, Inc. at 28.5x. On forward P/E, Duke Energy Corporation is actually cheaper at 19.5x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Duke Energy Corporation wins at 0.66x versus Ameren Corporation's 2.39x — a PEG below 1.0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — AEE or NEE or DUK?
Over the past 5 years, Ameren Corporation (AEE) delivered a total return of +76.1%, compared to +36.3% for NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE). A $10,000 investment in AEE five years ago would be worth approximately $18K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NEE returned +287.2% versus DUK's +128.1%. 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 — AEE or NEE or DUK?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) is the lower-risk stock at -0.05β versus NextEra Energy, Inc.'s 0.35β — meaning NEE is approximately -734% more volatile than DUK relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 144% versus 171% for Duke Energy Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — AEE or NEE or DUK?
NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE) is the more profitable company, earning 24.9% net margin versus 15.4% for Duke Energy Corporation — meaning it keeps 24.9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NEE leads at 30.1% versus 23.0% for AEE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NEE leads at 62.8%, 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 AEE or NEE or DUK 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, Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0.66x versus Ameren Corporation's 2.39x. A PEG below 1.0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) trades at 19.5x forward P/E versus 23.3x for NextEra Energy, Inc. — 3.8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for DUK: 2.0% to $133.45.
07Which pays a better dividend — AEE or NEE or DUK?
In this comparison, AEE (2.5% yield), NEE (2.4% yield) pay a dividend. DUK does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is AEE or NEE or DUK better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Ameren Corporation (AEE) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.18), 2.5% yield, +187.8% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AEE: +187.8%, DUK: +128.1%), 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 AEE and NEE and DUK?
Both stocks operate in the Utilities sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. AEE, NEE pay a dividend while DUK 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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