ALE vs IDA vs NWE vs AVA

For growth investors, Northwestern Energy Group Inc (NWE) is the stronger pick with 6.

4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -18. 6% for ALLETE, Inc. (ALE). Avista Corporation (AVA) offers the better valuation at 17. 2x trailing P/E (16. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate IDACORP, Inc. (IDA) a "Buy" — based on 13 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.

On trailing P/E, Avista Corporation (AVA) is the cheapest at 17.

2x versus Northwestern Energy Group Inc at 24. 6x. On forward P/E, Avista Corporation is actually cheaper at 16. 0x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Avista Corporation wins at 3. 47x versus IDACORP, Inc. 's 4. 79x.

Over the past 5 years, IDACORP, Inc.

(IDA) delivered a total return of +54. 4%, compared to +6. 9% for Avista Corporation (AVA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: IDA returned +132. 6% versus AVA's +40. 1%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Avista Corporation (AVA) is the lower-risk stock at -0.

00β versus Northwestern Energy Group Inc's 0. 24β — meaning NWE is approximately -8040% more volatile than AVA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, ALLETE, Inc. (ALE) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 53% versus 125% for Avista Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Northwestern Energy Group Inc (NWE) is pulling ahead at 6.

4% versus -18. 6% for ALLETE, Inc. (ALE). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: IDACORP, Inc. grew EPS 7. 3% year-over-year, compared to -27. 9% for ALLETE, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, AVA leads at 4. 7% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

IDACORP, Inc.

(IDA) is the more profitable company, earning 17. 8% net margin versus 9. 8% for Avista Corporation — meaning it keeps 17. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: IDA leads at 21. 9% versus 10. 5% for ALE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NWE leads at 82. 3%, 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.

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, Avista Corporation (AVA) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 3. 47x versus IDACORP, Inc. 's 4. 79x. Both stocks trade at elevated growth-adjusted valuations, so expected growth needs to materialise. On forward earnings alone, Avista Corporation (AVA) trades at 16. 0x forward P/E versus 22. 5x for IDACORP, Inc. — 6. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for IDA: 3. 1% to $147. 71.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Avista Corporation (AVA) offers the highest yield at 4. 8%, versus 2. 4% for IDACORP, Inc. (IDA).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Avista Corporation (AVA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0.

00), 4. 8% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AVA: +40. 1%, NWE: +65. 7%), 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.

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: ALE is a small-cap income-oriented stock; IDA is a small-cap quality compounder stock; NWE is a small-cap income-oriented stock; AVA is a small-cap deep-value stock. 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.