ENO vs DUK vs SO vs ETR vs AEP

For growth investors, The Southern Company (SO) is the stronger pick with 10.

6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 6. 2% for Duke Energy Corporation (DUK). Entergy New Orleans, LLC First Mortgage Bonds, 5. 50% Series due April 1, 2066 (ENO) offers the better valuation at 5. 6x trailing P/E (12. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Entergy Corporation (ETR) a "Buy" — based on 31 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, Entergy New Orleans, LLC First Mortgage Bonds, 5.

50% Series due April 1, 2066 (ENO) is the cheapest at 5. 6x versus Entergy Corporation at 28. 7x. On forward P/E, Entergy New Orleans, LLC First Mortgage Bonds, 5. 50% Series due April 1, 2066 is actually cheaper at 12. 6x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Entergy New Orleans, LLC First Mortgage Bonds, 5. 50% Series due April 1, 2066 wins at 0. 17x versus Entergy Corporation's 10. 02x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Entergy Corporation (ETR) delivered a total return of +127.

6%, compared to +14. 0% for Entergy New Orleans, LLC First Mortgage Bonds, 5. 50% Series due April 1, 2066 (ENO). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ETR returned +245. 7% versus ENO's +37. 4%. 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), Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) is the lower-risk stock at -0.

24β versus Entergy New Orleans, LLC First Mortgage Bonds, 5. 50% Series due April 1, 2066's 0. 75β — meaning ENO is approximately -412% more volatile than DUK relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Entergy New Orleans, LLC First Mortgage Bonds, 5. 50% Series due April 1, 2066 (ENO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 18% versus 180% for Entergy Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), The Southern Company (SO) is pulling ahead at 10.

6% versus 6. 2% for Duke Energy Corporation (DUK). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Entergy New Orleans, LLC First Mortgage Bonds, 5. 50% Series due April 1, 2066 grew EPS 59. 6% year-over-year, compared to -1. 8% for The Southern Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, ENO leads at 135. 0% 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.

American Electric Power Company, Inc.

(AEP) is the more profitable company, earning 16. 4% net margin versus 13. 6% for Entergy New Orleans, LLC First Mortgage Bonds, 5. 50% Series due April 1, 2066 — meaning it keeps 16. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: DUK leads at 26. 6% versus 23. 6% for ETR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ENO leads at 66. 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.

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, Entergy New Orleans, LLC First Mortgage Bonds, 5. 50% Series due April 1, 2066 (ENO) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 17x versus Entergy Corporation's 10. 02x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Entergy New Orleans, LLC First Mortgage Bonds, 5. 50% Series due April 1, 2066 (ENO) trades at 12. 6x forward P/E versus 25. 4x for Entergy Corporation — 12. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for DUK: 8. 5% to $135. 44.

In this comparison, DUK (3.

4% yield), SO (2. 9% yield), AEP (2. 9% yield), ETR (2. 1% yield) pay a dividend. ENO does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

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.

24), 3. 4% yield, +103. 3% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (DUK: +103. 3%, ENO: +37. 4%), 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: ENO is a mid-cap deep-value stock; DUK is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; SO is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; ETR is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; AEP is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. DUK, SO, ETR, AEP pay a dividend while ENO 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.