COMPARE · Data as of August 21, 2026
AEP vs CIG
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. AEP scored 63.3, CIG scored 83.0 — CIG leads.
Compare another set
AEP
American Electric Power Company, Inc.
63.3
$120.94 · $65.8B
fundamentals as of
Score gap
19.7
CIG leads
CIG
Comp En De Mn Cemig
83
$1.92
At a glance · who leads each dimension, on the model's own rules
- Fastest growthAEP+10.9%
- Strongest balance sheetCIG0.78
- Highest qualityAEP48 / 100
Side by side · every name on one set of axes
Fundamentals, head-to-head
AEP
CIG
-$2.4bF
FCF
$354mC
+10.9%B
Rev
+8.1%B
1.61C+
D/E
0.78A
2.9xB
P/S
—
2.15C
PEG
0.33A
—
P/E
6.2xA
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
AEP
Why this score
- Short track record
CIG
No notable signals flagged.
The companies
AEPAmerican Electric Power Company, Inc.
Why now
Utilities - Regulated Electric · market cap $65.8b. 14% off the 52-week high of $140.58. Revenue growing +11%, comfortably above the S&P median. 20 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $144.20 (implying +19% upside).
Moat
Net margin 14% beats the market median by a meaningful margin — the company is keeping more of every revenue dollar than the average S&P constituent. ROE 10% meets the long-run market sustainable threshold — solid but not differentiated; the durability comes from elsewhere. $65.8b market cap gives the company enough scale to absorb fixed costs that subscale competitors can't, without yet being so large that growth has to come from acquisition.
Risk
Free cash flow is negative (-$2.4b) — capital raises or debt issuance likely required; dilution / leverage risk.
CIGComp En De Mn Cemig
Why now
Utilities - Regulated Electric · market cap n/a. Down 30% from 52-week high of $2.76 — deep drawdown territory. PEG 0.33 — paying under fair value for the growth rate. 3 sell-side analysts publish a mean 1-yr target of $2.14 (implying +11% upside).
Moat
Net margin 18% beats the market median by a meaningful margin — the company is keeping more of every revenue dollar than the average S&P constituent. ROE 26% — top-decile capital efficiency. Either pricing leverage, low capital intensity, or aggressive buybacks; the durability story depends on which.
Risk
Down 30% from the 52-week high — the market is pricing in something the screen can't see; verify the bear case before sizing up. Dividend payout 80% of earnings on a 9.2% yield — distribution coverage is thin; one earnings stumble could force a dividend cut.
Verdict — model-derived comparison
The model favors CIG (82) over AEP (63.5), primarily due to CIG's superior valuation and balance sheet, reflected in its A grades for P/E, PEG (0.33), and D/E (0.78) versus AEP's C+ and C grades and an F for FCF. A contrarian might still prefer AEP for its higher revenue growth of +10.9% compared to CIG's +8.1%. AEP also carries a "Short track record" signal, and CIG's pillar breakdown is unavailable.
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.