ES vs FE

For growth investors, Eversource Energy (ES) is the stronger pick with 13.

8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 12. 0% for FirstEnergy Corp. (FE). Eversource Energy (ES) offers the better valuation at 14. 7x trailing P/E (14. 2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Eversource Energy (ES) a "Hold" — 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, Eversource Energy (ES) is the cheapest at 14.

7x versus FirstEnergy Corp. at 25. 7x. On forward P/E, Eversource Energy is actually cheaper at 14. 2x.

Over the past 5 years, FirstEnergy Corp.

(FE) delivered a total return of +42. 4%, compared to -4. 0% for Eversource Energy (ES). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: FE returned +81. 5% versus ES's +58. 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), FirstEnergy Corp.

(FE) is the lower-risk stock at -0. 02β versus Eversource Energy's 0. 27β — meaning ES is approximately -1673% more volatile than FE relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Eversource Energy (ES) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 185% versus 194% for FirstEnergy Corp. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Eversource Energy (ES) is pulling ahead at 13.

8% versus 12. 0% for FirstEnergy Corp. (FE). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Eversource Energy grew EPS 100. 9% year-over-year, compared to 3. 5% for FirstEnergy Corp.. Over a 3-year CAGR, FE leads at 6. 6% 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.

Eversource Energy (ES) is the more profitable company, earning 12.

5% net margin versus 6. 8% for FirstEnergy Corp. — meaning it keeps 12. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ES leads at 22. 1% versus 18. 8% for FE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — FE leads at 54. 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.

On forward earnings alone, Eversource Energy (ES) trades at 14.

2x forward P/E versus 16. 5x for FirstEnergy Corp. — 2. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for FE: 13. 9% to $51. 43.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Eversource Energy (ES) offers the highest yield at 4. 4%, versus 3. 9% for FirstEnergy Corp. (FE).

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. 02), 3. 9% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (FE: +81. 5%, ES: +58. 1%), 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: ES is a mid-cap deep-value stock; FE is a mid-cap income-oriented 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.