PNW vs IDA vs POR vs WEC

For growth investors, WEC Energy Group, Inc.

(WEC) is the stronger pick with 14. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -1. 9% for Portland General Electric Company (POR). Portland General Electric Company (POR) offers the better valuation at 17. 6x trailing P/E (14. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate IDACORP, Inc. (IDA) a "Buy" — based on 13 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, Portland General Electric Company (POR) is the cheapest at 17.

6x versus IDACORP, Inc. at 24. 3x. On forward P/E, Portland General Electric Company is actually cheaper at 14. 3x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Portland General Electric Company wins at 1. 44x versus Pinnacle West Capital Corporation's 28. 97x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, IDACORP, Inc.

(IDA) delivered a total return of +54. 4%, compared to +15. 8% for Portland General Electric Company (POR). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: WEC returned +133. 1% versus POR's +57. 6%. 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), WEC Energy Group, Inc.

(WEC) is the lower-risk stock at -0. 03β versus IDACORP, Inc. 's 0. 15β — meaning IDA is approximately -626% more volatile than WEC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, IDACORP, Inc. (IDA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 102% versus 3% for Pinnacle West Capital Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), WEC Energy Group, Inc.

(WEC) is pulling ahead at 14. 0% versus -1. 9% for Portland General Electric Company (POR). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: IDACORP, Inc. grew EPS 7. 3% year-over-year, compared to -8. 3% for Portland General Electric Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, POR leads at 8. 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.

IDACORP, Inc.

(IDA) is the more profitable company, earning 17. 8% net margin versus 9. 1% for Portland General Electric Company — meaning it keeps 17. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: WEC leads at 24. 2% versus 16. 4% for POR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — WEC leads at 50. 5%, 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, Portland General Electric Company (POR) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 44x versus Pinnacle West Capital Corporation's 28. 97x. A PEG below 1. 5 suggests fair-to-attractive pricing relative to expected growth. On forward earnings alone, Portland General Electric Company (POR) trades at 14. 3x forward P/E versus 22. 5x for IDACORP, Inc. — 8. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for WEC: 8. 9% to $122. 78.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Portland General Electric Company (POR) offers the highest yield at 4. 2%, versus 2. 4% for IDACORP, Inc. (IDA).

For long-horizon retirement investors, WEC Energy Group, Inc.

(WEC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0. 03), 3. 1% yield, +133. 1% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (WEC: +133. 1%, POR: +57. 6%), 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: PNW is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; IDA is a small-cap quality compounder stock; POR is a small-cap deep-value stock; WEC 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.