PEG vs FE

For growth investors, Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PEG) is the stronger pick with 18.

3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 12. 0% for FirstEnergy Corp. (FE). Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PEG) offers the better valuation at 18. 5x trailing P/E (17. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PEG) a "Buy" — based on 32 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, Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PEG) is the cheapest at 18.

5x versus FirstEnergy Corp. at 25. 7x. On forward P/E, FirstEnergy Corp. is actually cheaper at 16. 5x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, FirstEnergy Corp.

(FE) delivered a total return of +42. 4%, compared to +41. 6% for Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PEG). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: PEG returned +113. 2% versus FE's +81. 5%. 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 Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated's 0. 28β — meaning PEG is approximately -1778% more volatile than FE relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PEG) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 144% versus 194% for FirstEnergy Corp. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PEG) is pulling ahead at 18.

3% versus 12. 0% for FirstEnergy Corp. (FE). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated grew EPS 18. 9% year-over-year, compared to 3. 5% for FirstEnergy Corp.. Over a 3-year CAGR, PEG leads at 7. 5% 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.

Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PEG) is the more profitable company, earning 17.

3% net margin versus 6. 8% for FirstEnergy Corp. — meaning it keeps 17. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PEG leads at 24. 5% versus 18. 8% for FE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PEG leads at 69. 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.

On forward earnings alone, FirstEnergy Corp.

(FE) trades at 16. 5x forward P/E versus 17. 8x for Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated — 1. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for PEG: 15. 6% to $90. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

FirstEnergy Corp. (FE) offers the highest yield at 3. 9%, versus 3. 2% for Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PEG).

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%, PEG: +113. 2%), 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: PEG is a mid-cap high-growth 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.