COMPARE · Data as of August 21, 2026
FE vs NI
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. FE scored 62.1, NI scored 55.7 — FE leads.
Compare another set
Different reporting periods. NI'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.
FE
FirstEnergy Corp.
62.1
$45.96 · $26.6B
fundamentals as of
Score gap
6.4
FE leads
NI
NiSource Inc.
55.7
$40.62 · $19.5B
fundamentals as of
At a glance · who leads each dimension, on the model's own rules
- CheapestNI1.7x
- Fastest growthNI+17.0%
- Strongest balance sheetNI1.47
- 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)
FE
stronger →← stronger
NI
55
Qualityreturns · margins · balance sheet
52
82
Growthrevenue & earnings expansion
81
53
Valuevaluation vs sector peers
41
FE is stronger on 3 of 3 pillars.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
FE
NI
-$1.7bF
FCF
-$1.1bF
+11.3%B
Rev
+17.0%B+
2.01C
D/E
1.47B
1.7xA-
P/S
1.7xA-
1.68C+
PEG
2.37C
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
FE
Why this score
- Durable high returns
NI
Why this score
- Raising its dividend
The companies
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.
NINiSource Inc.
Why now
Utilities - Regulated Gas · market cap $19.5b. 17% off the 52-week high of $49.21. Revenue growing +17%, comfortably above the S&P median. 14 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $50.07 (implying +23% 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 (-$1.1b) — capital raises or debt issuance likely required; dilution / leverage risk. Production-cost sensitivity — top-quartile cost producers generate cash through the cycle while marginal producers burn it; watch the cost-per-unit trend, not just headline revenue.
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 FE and NI diverge
On the headline score the gap is 6.4 points in favor of FE. The widest single difference is Value, where FE leads by 11.9 points.
- ValueFE 53.1 · NI 41.2FE +11.9
- QualityFE 55.3 · NI 51.6FE +3.7
- GrowthFE 81.6 · NI 81.0level
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.