AES vs. XEL
AES (The AES Corporation) and XEL (Xcel Energy Inc.) are both stocks. Both are in the Utilities sector — AES in Utilities - Diversified, XEL in Utilities - Regulated Electric. Over the past 10 years, AES returned 5.82%/yr vs 9.29%/yr for XEL. Their 0.34 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship.
Performance
AES vs. XEL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, AES achieves a 6.12% return, which is significantly lower than XEL's 7.46% return. Over the past 10 years, AES has underperformed XEL with an annualized return of 5.82%, while XEL has yielded a comparatively higher 9.29% annualized return.
AES
- 1D
- 0.04%
- 1M
- 1.89%
- 6M
- 2.66%
- YTD
- 6.12%
- 1Y
- 16.48%
- 3Y*
- -6.81%
- 5Y*
- -5.40%
- 10Y*
- 5.82%
- ALL TIME*
- 6.31%
XEL
- 1D
- -0.04%
- 1M
- -4.59%
- 6M
- 4.35%
- YTD
- 7.46%
- 1Y
- 9.72%
- 3Y*
- 11.28%
- 5Y*
- 6.09%
- 10Y*
- 9.29%
- ALL TIME*
- 9.52%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $95.04M | $122.70M | $132.98M | |
| $387.09M | $394.63M | $451.51M |
AES vs. XEL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AES The AES Corporation | 6.12% | 18.26% | -30.40% | -30.88% | 21.69% | 5.94% | 22.16% | 42.14% | 39.02% | -2.69% |
XEL Xcel Energy Inc. | 7.46% | 13.89% | 12.32% | -8.67% | 6.44% | 4.40% | 7.77% | 32.37% | 5.88% | 21.91% |
Correlation
The correlation between AES and XEL is 0.23, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.23 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.27 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.35 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.37 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 26, 1991 | 0.34 |
The correlation between AES and XEL shifts across timeframes, from 0.23 (1 year) to 0.37 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
AES:
$10.47B
XEL:
$48.82B
AES:
$2.21
XEL:
$2.77
AES:
6.64
XEL:
28.23
AES:
0.03
XEL:
7.28
AES:
0.56
XEL:
3.25
AES:
$12.49B
XEL:
$14.62B
AES:
$1.77B
XEL:
$321.00M
AES:
$2.73B
XEL:
$6.39B
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Return for Risk
AES vs. XEL — Risk / Return Rank
AES
XEL
AES vs. XEL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for The AES Corporation (AES) and Xcel Energy Inc. (XEL). 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 | XEL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.04 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.10 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.11 | +0.08 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.99 | 0.85 | +0.14 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.70 | 2.12 | -0.42 |
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Drawdowns
AES vs. XEL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AES drawdown since its inception was -98.65%, which is greater than XEL's maximum drawdown of -80.64%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AES and XEL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| AES | XEL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -98.65% | -80.64% | -18.01% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -18.98% | -11.50% | -7.48% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -53.33% | -23.99% | -29.34% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -63.43% | -34.41% | -29.02% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -63.43% | -34.41% | -29.02% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -61.63% | -5.41% | -56.22% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -57.04% | -11.29% | -45.75% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 11.05% | 4.62% | +6.43% |
Volatility
AES vs. XEL - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for The AES Corporation (AES) is 1.06%, while Xcel Energy Inc. (XEL) has a volatility of 5.77%. This indicates that AES experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XEL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| AES | XEL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.06% | 5.77% | -4.71% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 23.21% | 15.09% | +8.12% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 34.46% | 19.41% | +15.05% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 37.58% | 20.88% | +16.70% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 35.93% | 21.75% | +14.18% |
Dividends
AES vs. XEL - Dividend Comparison
AES's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.99%, more than XEL's 2.97% 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% |
XEL Xcel Energy Inc. | 2.97% | 3.83% | 2.43% | 3.36% | 2.78% | 2.70% | 2.58% | 2.55% | 3.09% | 2.99% | 3.34% | 3.56% |
Financials
AES vs. XEL - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between The AES Corporation and Xcel Energy Inc.. 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. XEL - Profitability Comparison
AES - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 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%.
XEL - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Xcel Energy Inc. reported a gross profit of -915.00M and revenue of 3.12B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was -29.3%.
AES - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, The AES Corporation reported an operating income of 0.00 and revenue of 3.18B, resulting in an operating margin of 0.0%.
XEL - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Xcel Energy Inc. reported an operating income of 706.00M and revenue of 3.12B, resulting in an operating margin of 22.6%.
AES - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, The AES Corporation reported a net income of 201.00M and revenue of 3.18B, resulting in a net margin of 6.3%.
XEL - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Xcel Energy Inc. reported a net income of 37.00M and revenue of 3.12B, resulting in a net margin of 1.2%.
Frequently Asked Questions
AES and XEL have a correlation of 0.23, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
XEL has higher volatility (5.77%) compared to AES (1.06%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AES dropped -98.65% vs XEL's -80.64%.
AES currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.55 vs 0.51), 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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