NWN vs NEE vs AEP vs DUK vs SO

For growth investors, Northwest Natural Holding Company (NWN) is the stronger pick with 11.

8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 6. 2% for Duke Energy Corporation (DUK). Northwest Natural Holding Company (NWN) offers the better valuation at 18. 1x trailing P/E (16. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE) 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.

On trailing P/E, Northwest Natural Holding Company (NWN) is the cheapest at 18.

1x versus NextEra Energy, Inc. at 28. 4x. On forward P/E, Northwest Natural Holding Company is actually cheaper at 16. 5x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Duke Energy Corporation wins at 0. 62x versus Northwest Natural Holding Company's 4. 58x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, American Electric Power Company, Inc.

(AEP) delivered a total return of +70. 7%, compared to +8. 5% for Northwest Natural Holding Company (NWN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NEE returned +265. 3% versus NWN's +22. 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), Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) is the lower-risk stock at -0.

24β versus NextEra Energy, Inc. 's 0. 19β — meaning NEE is approximately -178% more volatile than DUK relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 144% versus 187% for Northwest Natural Holding Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Northwest Natural Holding Company (NWN) is pulling ahead at 11.

8% versus 6. 2% for Duke Energy Corporation (DUK). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Northwest Natural Holding Company grew EPS 36. 5% year-over-year, compared to -2. 4% for NextEra Energy, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, NEE leads at 9. 4% 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.

NextEra Energy, Inc.

(NEE) is the more profitable company, earning 24. 9% net margin versus 8. 8% for Northwest Natural Holding Company — meaning it keeps 24. 9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NWN leads at 31. 4% versus 24. 3% for AEP. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NEE leads at 62. 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, Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 62x versus Northwest Natural Holding Company's 4. 58x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Northwest Natural Holding Company (NWN) trades at 16. 5x forward P/E versus 23. 0x for NextEra Energy, Inc. — 6. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for NWN: 13. 9% to $57. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Northwest Natural Holding Company (NWN) offers the highest yield at 3. 8%, versus 2. 4% for NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE).

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%, NEE: +265. 3%), 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: NWN is a small-cap income-oriented stock; NEE is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; AEP is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; DUK is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; SO 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.