COMPARE · Data as of August 21, 2026
ATO vs FE
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. ATO scored 54.2, FE scored 62.1 — FE leads.
Compare another set
Different reporting periods. ATO's fundamentals are as of June 2026, but FE's are as of March 2026 — a 3-month gap. Growth, margin and valuation figures below therefore describe different windows and aren't strictly like-for-like.
ATO
Atmos Energy Corporation
54.2
$166.85 · $28.2B
fundamentals as of
Score gap
7.9
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 sheetATO0.68
- 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)
ATO
stronger →← stronger
FE
54
Qualityreturns · margins · balance sheet
55
60
Growthrevenue & earnings expansion
82
49
Valuevaluation vs sector peers
53
FE is stronger on 3 of 3 pillars.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
ATO
FE
-$2.0bF
FCF
-$1.7bF
+6.5%C+
Rev
+11.3%B
0.68A
D/E
2.01C
5.7xD
P/S
1.7xA-
2.07C
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
ATO
Why this score
- Raising its dividend
- Diluting shareholders
FE
Why this score
- Durable high returns
The companies
ATOAtmos Energy Corporation
Why now
Utilities - Regulated Gas · market cap $28.2b. 13% off the 52-week high of $192.51. 11 sell-side analysts rate this a Hold with a mean 1-yr target of $188.73 (implying +13% upside).
Moat
Net margin 28% sits well above the S&P median (~11%) — suggests structural pricing advantage or cost discipline competitors can't quickly close.
Risk
Free cash flow is negative (-$2.0b) — capital raises or debt issuance likely required; dilution / leverage risk. Hedge-book exposure — many commodity producers hedge forward production; if the hedge book is concentrated at prices well below spot, the upside the market expects is already locked away.
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 ATO and FE diverge
On the headline score the gap is 7.9 points in favor of FE. The widest single difference is Growth, where FE leads by 21.6 points.
- GrowthATO 60.0 · FE 81.6FE +21.6
- ValueATO 49.1 · FE 53.1FE +4.0
- QualityATO 53.8 · FE 55.3level
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.