Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) vs GE Vernova Inc. (GEV) 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 | GEV | 8.9% revenue growth vs DUK's 6.2% |
| Value | DUK | Lower P/E (19.5x vs 61.0x) |
| Quality / Margins | DUK | 15.7% net margin vs GEV's 12.8% |
| Dividends | GEV | 0.1% yield; 1-year raise streak; DUK pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | GEV | +161.0% vs DUK's +15.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | GEV | 7.8% ROA vs DUK's 2.6%, ROIC 27.9% vs 4.6% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
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.
GE Vernova is a diversified energy technology company that provides power generation equipment and grid solutions across multiple energy sources. It makes money primarily through three segments: Power (gas, nuclear, and hydro turbines), Wind (onshore and offshore wind turbines), and Electrification (grid equipment and power conversion systems). The company's competitive advantage lies in its comprehensive energy portfolio—spanning traditional and renewable technologies—and its deep expertise in large-scale power infrastructure projects.
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
DUK leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). GEV leads in 3 (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
GEV and DUK operate at a comparable scale, with $38.1B and $31.8B in trailing revenue. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 15.7% (DUK) to 12.8% (GEV).
| Metric | DUKDuke Energy Corpo… | GEVGE Vernova Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $31.8B | $38.1B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $15.1B | $2.3B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $5.0B | $4.9B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $9.0B | $3.7B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +59.7% | +19.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +27.1% | +3.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +15.7% | +12.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +28.2% | +9.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +6.3% | +3.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +15.3% | +6.7% |
Valuation Metrics
At 20.7x trailing earnings, DUK trades at a 58% valuation discount to GEV's 49.4x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, DUK's 12.9x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than GEV's 101.1x.
| Metric | DUKDuke Energy Corpo… | GEVGE Vernova Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $101.8B | $235.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $192.4B | $226.6B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 20.74x | 49.38x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 19.52x | 61.04x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.70x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 12.91x | 101.12x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.16x | 6.19x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.92x | 19.61x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 8.25x | 63.45x |
Profitability & Efficiency
GEV delivers a 39.7% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $40 in annual profit, vs $9 for DUK. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), GEV scores 6/9 vs DUK's 5/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | DUKDuke Energy Corpo… | GEVGE Vernova Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +9.5% | +39.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +2.6% | +7.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +4.6% | +27.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +5.0% | +6.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.71x | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $90.6B | -$8.8B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $245M | $8.8B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $90.9B | $0 |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 2.36x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in GEV five years ago would be worth $66,674 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $17,377 for DUK. Over the past 12 months, GEV leads with a +161.0% total return vs DUK's +15.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors GEV at 88.2% vs DUK's 15.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | DUKDuke Energy Corpo… | GEVGE Vernova Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +12.3% | +28.6% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +15.0% | +161.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +52.1% | +566.7% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +73.8% | +566.7% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +128.1% | +566.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +15.0% | +88.2% |
Risk & Volatility
DUK is the less volatile stock with a -0.05 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than GEV's 1.59 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | DUKDuke Energy Corpo… | GEVGE Vernova Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | -0.05x | 1.59x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $131.57 | $894.93 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $111.22 | $252.25 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +99.5% | +97.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 70.2 | 73.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 3.4M | 2.5M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates DUK as "Hold" and GEV as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 2.0% upside for DUK (target: $133) vs -4.5% for GEV (target: $835). GEV is the only dividend payer here at 0.11% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | DUKDuke Energy Corpo… | GEVGE Vernova Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $133.45 | $834.72 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 31 | 27 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.1% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $1.00 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +1.4% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Apr 24 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Corpora… (DUK) | 100 | 124.38 | +24.4% |
| GE Vernova Inc. (GEV) | 108.21 | 575.22 | +431.6% |
GE Vernova Inc. (GEV) returned +567% over 5 years vs Duke Energy Corpora… (DUK)'s +74%. A $10,000 investment in GEV 5 years ago would be worth $66,674 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Corpora… (DUK) | $22.7B | $32.2B | +41.7% |
| GE Vernova Inc. (GEV) | $29.7B | $38.1B | +28.4% |
Duke Energy Corporation's revenue grew from $22.7B (2016) to $32.2B (2025) — a 4.0% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Corpora… (DUK) | 11.7% | 15.4% | +31.5% |
| GE Vernova Inc. (GEV) | -9.2% | 12.8% | +239.1% |
Duke Energy Corporation's net margin went from 12% (2016) to 15% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Corpora… (DUK) | 19.3 | 18.6 | -3.6% |
Duke Energy Corporation has traded in a 18x–53x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~21x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Corpora… (DUK) | 3.11 | 6.31 | +102.9% |
| GE Vernova Inc. (GEV) | -10.06 | 17.69 | +275.8% |
Duke Energy Corporation's EPS grew from $3.11 (2016) to $6.31 (2025) — a 8% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Duke Energy Corporation generated $12B FCF in 2025 (+965% vs 2021). GE Vernova Inc. generated $4B FCF in 2025 (+692% vs 2022).
DUK vs GEV: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is DUK or GEV 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 GE Vernova Inc. (GEV) a "Buy" — based on 27 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 — DUK or GEV?
On trailing P/E, Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) is the cheapest at 20.7x versus GE Vernova Inc. at 49.4x. On forward P/E, Duke Energy Corporation is actually cheaper at 19.5x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — DUK or GEV?
Over the past 5 years, GE Vernova Inc. (GEV) delivered a total return of +566.7%, compared to +73.8% for Duke Energy Corporation (DUK). A $10,000 investment in GEV five years ago would be worth approximately $67K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: GEV returned +566.7% 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 — DUK or GEV?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) is the lower-risk stock at -0.05β versus GE Vernova Inc.'s 1.59β — meaning GEV is approximately -3005% more volatile than DUK relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — DUK or GEV?
Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) is the more profitable company, earning 15.4% net margin versus 12.8% for GE Vernova Inc. — meaning it keeps 15.4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: DUK leads at 26.6% versus 3.6% for GEV. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — DUK leads at 31.6%, 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 DUK or GEV more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) trades at 19.5x forward P/E versus 61.0x for GE Vernova Inc. — 41.5x 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 — DUK or GEV?
In this comparison, GEV (0.1% yield) pays a dividend. DUK does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is DUK or GEV better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0.05), +128.1% 10Y return). GE Vernova Inc. (GEV) carries a higher beta of 1.59 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (DUK: +128.1%, GEV: +566.7%), 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.
09What are the main differences between DUK and GEV?
Both stocks operate in the Utilities sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. 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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