ED vs SO vs DUK vs EXC vs PPL

For growth investors, Consolidated Edison, Inc.

(ED) is the stronger pick with 10. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 5. 3% for Exelon Corporation (EXC). Exelon Corporation (EXC) offers the better valuation at 16. 4x trailing P/E (15. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate PPL Corporation (PPL) a "Buy" — based on 29 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, Exelon Corporation (EXC) is the cheapest at 16.

4x versus The Southern Company at 23. 9x. On forward P/E, Exelon Corporation is actually cheaper at 15. 8x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Duke Energy Corporation wins at 0. 63x versus The Southern Company's 3. 49x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Exelon Corporation (EXC) delivered a total return of +64.

5%, compared to +45. 2% for Duke Energy Corporation (DUK). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SO returned +141. 5% versus PPL's +31. 7%. 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), Consolidated Edison, Inc.

(ED) is the lower-risk stock at -0. 41β versus PPL Corporation's 0. 05β — meaning PPL is approximately -112% more volatile than ED relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Consolidated Edison, Inc. (ED) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 176% for Exelon Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Consolidated Edison, Inc.

(ED) is pulling ahead at 10. 9% versus 5. 3% for Exelon Corporation (EXC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: PPL Corporation grew EPS 33. 3% year-over-year, compared to -1. 8% for The Southern Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, EXC leads at 8. 3% 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.

Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) is the more profitable company, earning 15.

4% net margin versus 11. 4% for Exelon Corporation — 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 17. 3% for ED. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ED leads at 81. 0%, 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, Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 63x versus The Southern Company's 3. 49x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Exelon Corporation (EXC) trades at 15. 8x forward P/E versus 20. 4x for The Southern Company — 4. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for PPL: 12. 7% to $41. 57.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Exelon Corporation (EXC) offers the highest yield at 3. 5%, versus 2. 9% for PPL Corporation (PPL).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Consolidated Edison, Inc.

(ED) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0. 41), 3. 0% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ED: +85. 6%, PPL: +31. 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: ED is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; SO is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; DUK is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; EXC is a mid-cap deep-value stock; PPL is a mid-cap quality compounder 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.