COMPARE · Data as of August 21, 2026
AQN vs FE
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. AQN scored 50.6, FE scored 62.1 — FE leads.
Compare another set
Different reporting periods. FE's fundamentals are as of March 2026, but AQN's are as of December 2025 — a 3-month gap. Growth, margin and valuation figures below therefore describe different windows and aren't strictly like-for-like.
AQN
Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp.
50.6
$5.70 · $4.4B
fundamentals as of
Score gap
11.5
FE leads
FE
FirstEnergy Corp.
62.1
$45.96 · $26.6B
fundamentals as of
At a glance · who leads each dimension, on the model's own rules
- CheapestFE1.7x
- Fastest growthFE+11.3%
- Strongest balance sheetAQN1.34
- Highest qualityFE55 / 100
Side by side · every name on one set of axes
Growth against the P/S multiple. Up and to the right is cheaper and faster — the quality-growth idea in one picture. Points beyond the axis are pinned to the edge and marked off-scale rather than allowed to compress everything else.
The model, pillar by pillar (0–100 each)
AQN
stronger →← stronger
FE
33
Qualityreturns · margins · balance sheet
55
65
Growthrevenue & earnings expansion
82
60
Valuevaluation vs sector peers
53
FE is stronger on 2 of 3 pillars.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
AQN
FE
-$178mF
FCF
-$1.7bF
+4.9%C+
Rev
+11.3%B
1.34B
D/E
2.01C
1.8xB+
P/S
1.7xA-
1.72C+
PEG
1.68C+
Winner per row is the stronger grade; where grades tie, the better figure breaks it. A true tie or a missing value shows no highlight.
Model signals
AQN
Why this score
- Diluting shareholders
- Cut its dividend
FE
Why this score
- Durable high returns
The companies
AQNAlgonquin Power & Utilities Corp.
Why now
Utilities - Diversified · market cap $4.4b. 20% off the 52-week high of $7.11. 10 sell-side analysts rate this a Hold with a mean 1-yr target of $6.75 (implying +18% upside).
Moat
Higher-variance name — the moat signals on the quantitative card are modest, so the durability case rests on execution (turning current growth into durable earnings power) or an un-monetized asset (IP / network effects / first-mover position) rather than an entrenched competitive position.
Risk
Free cash flow is negative (-$178m) — capital raises or debt issuance likely required; dilution / leverage risk. Dividend payout 108% of earnings on a 4.5% yield — distribution coverage is thin; one earnings stumble could force a dividend cut. ROE 4% is below the long-run sustainable threshold of ~10% — capital efficiency would need to improve for the equity base to compound at the market rate.
FEFirstEnergy Corp.
Why now
Utilities - Regulated Electric · market cap $26.6b. 12% off the 52-week high of $52.34. Revenue growing +11%, comfortably above the S&P median. 12 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $53.25 (implying +16% upside).
Moat
Higher-variance name — the moat signals on the quantitative card are modest, so the durability case rests on execution (turning current growth into durable earnings power) or an un-monetized asset (IP / network effects / first-mover position) rather than an entrenched competitive position.
Risk
D/E 2.01 is elevated — limits strategic flexibility and raises refinancing exposure if rates stay higher for longer. Free cash flow is negative (-$1.7b) — capital raises or debt issuance likely required; dilution / leverage risk. Trailing P/E 97.8x prices in sustained high growth — any quarter that disappoints triggers sharp re-rating.
Verdict — model-derived comparison
Generating verdict… typically 5–10 seconds
Not investment advice. The Bull Rankings publishes a quantitative ranking model and accompanying analysis for general informational purposes only. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security; nothing is personalized to your circumstances, risk tolerance, or tax situation. Investing carries the risk of loss — invest at your own risk and consider consulting a licensed financial professional before acting on anything you read here. See terms and methodology for full disclosures.
Where AQN and FE diverge
On the headline score the gap is 11.5 points in favor of FE. They get there differently, though — each leads on a different pillar, so the better pick depends on which you weight.
- QualityAQN 33.5 · FE 55.3FE +21.8
- GrowthAQN 64.9 · FE 81.6FE +16.7
- ValueAQN 59.6 · FE 53.1AQN +6.5
Pillars run 0–100 against sector peers, so a score is a statement about a company relative to its own industry rather than to the other name here. A wide Value gap usually means the market already prices the difference in quality or growth — which is the trade-off this comparison comes down to.