COMPARE · Data as of August 21, 2026
FE vs SBS
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. FE scored 62.1, SBS scored 60.5 — FE leads.
Compare another set
FE
FirstEnergy Corp.
62.1
$45.96 · $26.6B
fundamentals as of
Score gap
1.6
FE leads
SBS
Companhia de Saneamento Básico do Estado de São Paulo - SABESP
60.5
$4.61 · $16.2B
At a glance · who leads each dimension, on the model's own rules
- CheapestFE1.7x
- Fastest growthSBS+41.3%
- Strongest balance sheetSBS1.14
- 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
SBS
55
Qualityreturns · margins · balance sheet
55
82
Growthrevenue & earnings expansion
80
53
Valuevaluation vs sector peers
70
FE and SBS split the three pillars evenly.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
FE
SBS
-$1.7bF
FCF
-$1.8bF
+11.3%B
Rev
+41.3%A
2.01C
D/E
1.14B+
1.7xA-
P/S
2.1xB+
1.68C+
PEG
0.47A
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
SBS
Why this score
- Raising its dividend
- Diluting shareholders
- Foreign reporter (BRL)
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.
SBSCompanhia de Saneamento Básico do Estado de São Paulo - SABESP
Why now
Utilities - Regulated Water · market cap $16.2b. Down 36% from 52-week high of $7.16 — deep drawdown territory. Revenue growing +41% — in hypergrowth territory. PEG 0.47 — paying under fair value for the growth rate. 5 sell-side analysts rate this a Strong Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $6.76 (implying +47% upside).
Moat
Net margin 27% sits well above the S&P median (~11%) — suggests structural pricing advantage or cost discipline competitors can't quickly close. ROE 26% — top-decile capital efficiency. Either pricing leverage, low capital intensity, or aggressive buybacks; the durability story depends on which.
Risk
Free cash flow is negative (-$1.8b) — capital raises or debt issuance likely required; dilution / leverage risk. Down 36% from the 52-week high — the market is pricing in something the screen can't see; verify the bear case before sizing up.
Verdict — model-derived comparison
SBS leads FE by 1.7 points (63.6 to 61.9), its sharpest advantage coming in PEG (grade A). All screen as spec-type names but sit in different sectors (Utilities - Regulated Electric versus Utilities - Regulated Water), so their grades are relative to different peer sets.
Our AI analyst is busy right now, so this verdict is drawn directly from the pillars, grades and DCF above.
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 SBS diverge
On the headline score the gap is 1.6 points in favor of FE. The widest single difference is Value, where SBS leads by 16.7 points.
- ValueFE 53.1 · SBS 69.8SBS +16.7
- GrowthFE 81.6 · SBS 79.6level
- QualityFE 55.3 · SBS 54.8level
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.