AES vs. DUK
AES (The AES Corporation) and DUK (Duke Energy Corporation) are both stocks. Both are in the Utilities sector — AES in Utilities - Diversified, DUK in Utilities - Regulated Electric. Over the past 10 years, AES returned 6.76%/yr vs 8.62%/yr for DUK. At a 0.32 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
AES vs. DUK - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, AES achieves a 4.86% return, which is significantly lower than DUK's 8.77% return. Over the past 10 years, AES has underperformed DUK with an annualized return of 6.76%, while DUK has yielded a comparatively higher 8.62% annualized return.
AES
- 1D
- 0.07%
- 1M
- 1.52%
- YTD
- 4.86%
- 6M
- 8.73%
- 1Y
- 34.92%
- 3Y*
- -6.68%
- 5Y*
- -7.15%
- 10Y*
- 6.76%
DUK
- 1D
- 0.91%
- 1M
- 1.69%
- YTD
- 8.77%
- 6M
- 10.57%
- 1Y
- 10.99%
- 3Y*
- 15.72%
- 5Y*
- 8.32%
- 10Y*
- 8.62%
AES vs. DUK - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AES The AES Corporation | 4.86% | 18.26% | -30.40% | -30.88% | 21.69% | 5.94% | 22.16% | 42.14% | 39.02% | -2.69% |
DUK Duke Energy Corporation | 8.77% | 12.72% | 15.56% | -1.63% | 2.03% | 19.11% | 4.77% | 10.29% | 7.41% | 12.96% |
Correlation
The correlation between AES and DUK is 0.08, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.08 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.32 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.36 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 26, 1991 | 0.32 |
Over the past year, the correlation between AES and DUK has dropped to 0.08 - well below their long-term average of 0.32, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
Fundamentals
AES:
$1.97
DUK:
$6.61
AES:
7.47
DUK:
18.91
AES:
0.04
DUK:
1.48
AES:
0.63
DUK:
2.92
AES:
$12.49B
DUK:
$33.29B
AES:
$1.77B
DUK:
$19.45B
AES:
$2.73B
DUK:
$15.91B
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Return for Risk
AES vs. DUK — Risk / Return Rank
AES
DUK
AES vs. DUK - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for The AES Corporation (AES) and Duke Energy Corporation (DUK). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| AES | DUK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.07 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.35 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.25 | 1.12 | +0.12 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.79 | 0.98 | +0.81 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.33 | 2.32 | +1.01 |
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Drawdowns
AES vs. DUK - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AES drawdown since its inception was -98.65%, which is greater than DUK's maximum drawdown of -71.92%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AES and DUK.
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Drawdown Indicators
| AES | DUK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -98.65% | -71.92% | -26.73% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -18.98% | -10.88% | -8.10% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -53.33% | -11.59% | -41.74% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -63.43% | -24.16% | -39.27% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -63.43% | -37.37% | -26.06% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -62.08% | -5.28% | -56.80% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -57.02% | -10.85% | -46.17% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 10.18% | 4.57% | +5.61% |
Volatility
AES vs. DUK - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for The AES Corporation (AES) is 1.47%, while Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) has a volatility of 5.62%. This indicates that AES experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than DUK based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| AES | DUK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.47% | 5.62% | -4.15% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 25.55% | 11.13% | +14.42% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 42.49% | 14.73% | +27.76% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 37.80% | 17.84% | +19.96% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 36.05% | 20.40% | +15.65% |
Dividends
AES vs. DUK - Dividend Comparison
AES's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.79%, more than DUK's 3.69% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AES The AES Corporation | 4.79% | 4.91% | 5.36% | 3.45% | 2.20% | 2.48% | 2.44% | 2.74% | 3.60% | 4.43% | 3.79% | 4.18% |
DUK Duke Energy Corporation | 3.69% | 3.60% | 3.84% | 4.18% | 3.86% | 3.72% | 4.17% | 4.11% | 4.21% | 4.15% | 4.33% | 4.54% |
Financials
AES vs. DUK - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between The AES Corporation and Duke Energy Corporation. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
AES vs. DUK - Profitability Comparison
AES - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The AES Corporation reported a gross profit of 0.00 and revenue of 3.18B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 0.0%.
DUK - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Duke Energy Corporation reported a gross profit of 6.23B and revenue of 9.18B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 67.9%.
AES - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The AES Corporation reported an operating income of 0.00 and revenue of 3.18B, resulting in an operating margin of 0.0%.
DUK - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Duke Energy Corporation reported an operating income of 2.73B and revenue of 9.18B, resulting in an operating margin of 29.7%.
AES - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The AES Corporation reported a net income of 201.00M and revenue of 3.18B, resulting in a net margin of 6.3%.
DUK - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Duke Energy Corporation reported a net income of 1.55B and revenue of 9.18B, resulting in a net margin of 16.9%.
Frequently Asked Questions
AES and DUK have a correlation of 0.08, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
DUK has higher volatility (5.62%) compared to AES (1.47%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AES dropped -98.65% vs DUK's -71.92%.
AES currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.80 vs 0.72), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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