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TAC vs BEP
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Renewable Utilities
TAC vs BEP — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Independent Power Producers | Renewable Utilities |
| Market Cap | $3.79B | $10.57B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $2.21B | $6.43B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $-171M | $212M |
| Gross Margin | 40.2% | 44.8% |
| Operating Margin | -2.6% | 13.3% |
| Forward P/E | 78.1x | — |
| Total Debt | $4.48B | $35.73B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $283M | $2.31B |
TAC vs BEP — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| TransAlta Corporati… (TAC) | 100 | 218.7 | +118.7% |
| Brookfield Renewabl… (BEP) | 100 | 132.6 | +32.6% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: TAC vs BEP
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
TAC is the clearest fit if your priority is dividends.
- 1.4% yield, 6-year raise streak, vs BEP's 11.7%
BEP carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and growth exposure.
- Dividend streak 1 yrs, beta 0.85, yield 11.7%
- Rev growth 10.9%, EPS growth 92.4%, 3Y rev CAGR 11.4%
- 199.1% 10Y total return vs TAC's 171.5%
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 10.9% revenue growth vs TAC's -15.5% | |
| Quality / Margins | 3.3% margin vs TAC's -7.7% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.85 vs TAC's 1.21, lower leverage | |
| Dividends | 1.4% yield, 6-year raise streak, vs BEP's 11.7% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +60.8% vs TAC's +52.1% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 0.2% ROA vs TAC's -1.9%, ROIC 0.9% vs -2.8% |
TAC vs BEP — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
BEP leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
BEP is the larger business by revenue, generating $6.4B annually — 2.9x TAC's $2.2B. BEP is the more profitable business, keeping 3.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to TAC's -7.7%. On growth, BEP holds the edge at +9.1% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $2.2B | $6.4B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $522M | $3.3B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$171M | $212M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $383M | -$8.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +40.2% | +44.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -2.6% | +13.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -7.7% | +3.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +17.3% | -128.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -25.3% | +9.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -70.7% | +25.3% |
Valuation Metrics
BEP leads this category, winning 4 of 4 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, BEP's 13.2x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than TAC's 22.6x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $3.8B | $10.6B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $6.9B | $44.0B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -27.22x | -512.46x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 78.06x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 22.65x | 13.18x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.15x | 1.62x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 3.54x | 0.28x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 22.02x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
BEP leads this category, winning 7 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
BEP delivers a 0.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $1 in annual profit, vs $-11 for TAC. BEP carries lower financial leverage with a 1.02x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to TAC's 3.06x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), BEP scores 5/9 vs TAC's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -11.0% | +0.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -1.9% | +0.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -2.8% | +0.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -3.2% | +1.1% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 3.06x | 1.02x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $4.2B | $33.4B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $283M | $2.3B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $4.5B | $35.7B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -0.77x | 1.04x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
Evenly matched — TAC and BEP each lead in 3 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in TAC five years ago would be worth $13,985 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $11,256 for BEP. Over the past 12 months, BEP leads with a +60.8% total return vs TAC's +52.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors TAC at 10.8% vs BEP's 7.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -1.6% | +25.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +52.1% | +60.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +36.1% | +23.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +39.8% | +12.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +171.5% | +199.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +10.8% | +7.3% |
Risk & Volatility
BEP leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
BEP is the less volatile stock with a 0.85 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than TAC's 1.21 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. BEP currently trades 96.0% from its 52-week high vs TAC's 71.4% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.21x | 0.85x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $17.88 | $35.97 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $8.34 | $22.27 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +71.4% | +96.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 50.3 | 57.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.2M | 875K |
Analyst Outlook
Evenly matched — TAC and BEP each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates TAC as "Buy" and BEP as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 25.3% upside for TAC (target: $16) vs 1.8% for BEP (target: $35). For income investors, BEP offers the higher dividend yield at 11.70% vs TAC's 1.43%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $16.00 | $35.17 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 9 | 20 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +1.4% | +11.7% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 6 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.25 | $4.04 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.5% | 0.0% |
BEP leads in 4 of 6 categories — strongest in Income & Cash Flow and Valuation Metrics. 2 categories are tied.
TAC vs BEP: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is TAC or BEP a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Brookfield Renewable Partners L.
P. (BEP) is the stronger pick with 10. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -15. 5% for TransAlta Corporation (TAC). Analysts rate TransAlta Corporation (TAC) a "Buy" — based on 9 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.
02Which is the better long-term investment — TAC or BEP?
Over the past 5 years, TransAlta Corporation (TAC) delivered a total return of +39.
8%, compared to +12. 6% for Brookfield Renewable Partners L. P. (BEP). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BEP returned +199. 1% versus TAC's +171. 5%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — TAC or BEP?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Brookfield Renewable Partners L.
P. (BEP) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 85β versus TransAlta Corporation's 1. 21β — meaning TAC is approximately 42% more volatile than BEP relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Brookfield Renewable Partners L. P. (BEP) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 102% versus 3% for TransAlta Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which is growing faster — TAC or BEP?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Brookfield Renewable Partners L.
P. (BEP) is pulling ahead at 10. 9% versus -15. 5% for TransAlta Corporation (TAC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Brookfield Renewable Partners L. P. grew EPS 92. 4% year-over-year, compared to -206. 7% for TransAlta Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, BEP leads at 11. 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.
05Which has better profit margins — TAC or BEP?
Brookfield Renewable Partners L.
P. (BEP) is the more profitable company, earning -0. 3% net margin versus -5. 7% for TransAlta Corporation — meaning it keeps -0. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: BEP leads at 13. 4% versus -9. 2% for TAC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — TAC leads at 32. 6%, 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.
06Is TAC or BEP more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for TAC: 25.
3% to $16. 00.
07Which pays a better dividend — TAC or BEP?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
Brookfield Renewable Partners L. P. (BEP) offers the highest yield at 11. 7%, versus 1. 4% for TransAlta Corporation (TAC).
08Is TAC or BEP better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Brookfield Renewable Partners L.
P. (BEP) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 85), 11. 7% yield, +199. 1% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (BEP: +199. 1%, TAC: +171. 5%), 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.
09What are the main differences between TAC and BEP?
Both stocks operate in the null sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
In terms of investment character: TAC is a small-cap quality compounder stock; BEP 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.
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