Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Edison International (EIX) vs FirstEnergy Corp. (FE) 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 | FE | 12.0% revenue growth vs EIX's 9.8% |
| Value | EIX | Lower P/E (12.2x vs 18.7x) |
| Quality / Margins | EIX | 24.3% net margin vs FE's 8.4% |
| Stability / Safety | FE | Beta 0.07 vs EIX's 0.56 |
| Dividends | FE | 3.4% yield, 4-year raise streak, vs EIX's 0.5% |
| Momentum (1Y) | EIX | +43.5% vs FE's +36.5% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | EIX | 19.0% ROA vs FE's 2.3%, ROIC 13.9% vs 5.4% |
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
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.
FirstEnergy is a regulated electric utility that generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to approximately 6 million customers across six Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern states. It makes money primarily through regulated rate structures — with its distribution segment contributing about 60% of revenue and transmission about 40% — earning a government-approved return on its infrastructure investments. Its key advantage is its monopoly-like position as a regulated utility with exclusive service territories, providing stable cash flows through cost-plus regulation.
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). FE leads in 3 (Total Returns, Risk & Volatility).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
EIX and FE operate at a comparable scale, with $19.3B and $15.1B in trailing revenue. EIX is the more profitable business, keeping 24.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to FE's 8.4%. On growth, EIX holds the edge at +30.8% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | EIXEdison Internatio… | FEFirstEnergy Corp. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $19.3B | $15.1B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $10.3B | $4.4B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $4.7B | $1.3B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$715M | $2.5B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | — | +65.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +36.7% | +18.8% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +24.3% | +8.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -3.7% | +16.8% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +30.8% | +19.6% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +4.4% | -118.7% |
Valuation Metrics
At 6.5x trailing earnings, EIX trades at a 78% valuation discount to FE's 29.1x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, EIX's 3.5x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than FE's 6.1x.
| Metric | EIXEdison Internatio… | FEFirstEnergy Corp. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $32.5B | $697M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $35.9B | $26.9B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 6.47x | 29.07x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 12.19x | 18.74x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.15x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 3.48x | 6.12x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.68x | 0.05x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.64x | 2.12x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 0.19x |
Profitability & Efficiency
EIX delivers a 26.7% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $27 in annual profit, vs $9 for FE. EIX carries lower financial leverage with a 0.20x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to FE's 1.88x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), EIX scores 7/9 vs FE's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | EIXEdison Internatio… | FEFirstEnergy Corp. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +26.7% | +9.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +19.0% | +2.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +13.9% | +5.4% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +15.5% | +7.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.20x | 1.88x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $3.4B | $26.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1M | $57M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $3.4B | $26.2B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 2.49x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in FE five years ago would be worth $17,767 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $16,351 for EIX. Over the past 12 months, EIX leads with a +43.5% total return vs FE's +36.5%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors FE at 12.5% vs EIX's 8.4% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | EIXEdison Internatio… | FEFirstEnergy Corp. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +24.1% | +14.0% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +43.5% | +36.5% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +27.3% | +42.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +63.5% | +77.7% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +48.9% | +99.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +8.4% | +12.5% |
Risk & Volatility
FE is the less volatile stock with a 0.07 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… | FEFirstEnergy Corp. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.56x | 0.07x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $75.50 | $51.34 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $47.73 | $37.58 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +99.0% | +99.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 75.0 | 71.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 2.7M | 3.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates EIX as "Buy" and FE as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply -1.3% upside for FE (target: $51) vs -8.6% for EIX (target: $68). For income investors, FE offers the higher dividend yield at 3.44% vs EIX's 0.47%.
| Metric | EIXEdison Internatio… | FEFirstEnergy Corp. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $68.33 | $50.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 36 | 27 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.5% | +3.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 4 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.35 | $1.76 |
| 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 | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edison International (EIX) | 100 | 86.24 | -13.8% |
| FirstEnergy Corp. (FE) | 100 | 99.3 | -0.7% |
FirstEnergy Corp. (FE) returned +78% over 5 years vs Edison International (EIX)'s +64%. A $10,000 investment in FE 5 years ago would be worth $17,767 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edison International (EIX) | $11.9B | $19.3B | +62.8% |
| FirstEnergy Corp. (FE) | $14.6B | $15.1B | +3.6% |
Edison International's revenue grew from $11.9B (2016) to $19.3B (2025) — a 5.6% CAGR. FirstEnergy Corp.'s revenue grew from $14.6B (2016) to $15.1B (2025) — a 0.4% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edison International (EIX) | 12.1% | 24.3% | +101.4% |
| FirstEnergy Corp. (FE) | -42.4% | 8.4% | +119.9% |
Edison International's net margin went from 12% (2016) to 24% (2025). FirstEnergy Corp.'s net margin went from -42% (2016) to 8% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edison International (EIX) | 36.8 | 5.2 | -85.9% |
| FirstEnergy Corp. (FE) | 18.9 | 25.4 | +34.4% |
Edison International has traded in a 5x–40x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~6x. FirstEnergy Corp. has traded in a 15x–59x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~29x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edison International (EIX) | 3.97 | 11.55 | +190.9% |
| FirstEnergy Corp. (FE) | -14.49 | 1.76 | +112.1% |
Edison International's EPS grew from $3.97 (2016) to $11.55 (2025) — a 13% CAGR. FirstEnergy Corp.'s EPS grew from $-14.49 (2016) to $1.76 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Edison International generated $-715M FCF in 2025 (+87% vs 2021). FirstEnergy Corp. generated $4B FCF in 2025 (+911% vs 2021).
EIX vs FE: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is EIX or FE 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 FE?
On trailing P/E, Edison International (EIX) is the cheapest at 6.5x versus FirstEnergy Corp. at 29.1x. On forward P/E, Edison International is actually cheaper at 12.2x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — EIX or FE?
Over the past 5 years, FirstEnergy Corp. (FE) delivered a total return of +77.7%, compared to +63.5% for Edison International (EIX). A $10,000 investment in FE five years ago would be worth approximately $18K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: FE returned +99.6% 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 FE?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), FirstEnergy Corp. (FE) is the lower-risk stock at 0.07β versus Edison International's 0.56β — meaning EIX is approximately 649% more volatile than FE relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Edison International (EIX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 20% versus 188% for FirstEnergy Corp. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — EIX or FE?
Edison International (EIX) is the more profitable company, earning 24.3% net margin versus 8.4% for FirstEnergy Corp. — 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 18.8% for FE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — FE leads at 65.3%, 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.
06Is EIX or FE more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Edison International (EIX) trades at 12.2x forward P/E versus 18.7x for FirstEnergy Corp. — 6.6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for FE: -1.3% to $50.50.
07Which pays a better dividend — EIX or FE?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. FirstEnergy Corp. (FE) offers the highest yield at 3.4%, versus 0.5% for Edison International (EIX).
08Is EIX or FE better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, FirstEnergy Corp. (FE) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.07), 3.4% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (FE: +99.6%, 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 FE?
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; FE is a small-cap income-oriented stock. FE 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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