PAA vs. WES
PAA (Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.) and WES (Western Midstream Partners, LP) are both stocks. Both operate in the Oil & Gas Midstream industry within the Energy sector. Over the past 10 years, PAA returned 5.60%/yr vs 10.23%/yr for WES. A 0.59 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.
Performance
PAA vs. WES - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PAA achieves a 26.94% return, which is significantly higher than WES's 15.09% return. Over the past 10 years, PAA has underperformed WES with an annualized return of 5.60%, while WES has yielded a comparatively higher 10.23% annualized return.
PAA
- 1D
- 2.00%
- 1M
- -9.28%
- YTD
- 26.94%
- 6M
- 28.15%
- 1Y
- 30.43%
- 3Y*
- 27.64%
- 5Y*
- 23.13%
- 10Y*
- 5.60%
WES
- 1D
- 1.23%
- 1M
- -5.43%
- YTD
- 15.09%
- 6M
- 15.17%
- 1Y
- 23.09%
- 3Y*
- 29.11%
- 5Y*
- 24.44%
- 10Y*
- 10.23%
PAA vs. WES - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PAA Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. | 26.94% | 14.30% | 21.38% | 39.18% | 35.79% | 22.24% | -50.79% | -2.28% | 2.31% | -31.34% |
WES Western Midstream Partners, LP | 15.09% | 12.77% | 43.58% | 19.46% | 29.29% | 72.31% | -19.13% | -22.65% | -20.23% | -8.01% |
Correlation
The correlation between PAA and WES is 0.58, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.58 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.62 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.65 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.62 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 10, 2012 | 0.59 |
The correlation between PAA and WES has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.58 to 0.65 - a consistent structural relationship.
Fundamentals
PAA:
$15.47B
WES:
$17.43B
PAA:
$2.19
WES:
$3.09
PAA:
10.00
WES:
14.09
PAA:
0.19
WES:
1.04
PAA:
0.34
WES:
4.21
PAA:
1.21
WES:
4.97
PAA:
$45.25B
WES:
$4.05B
PAA:
$1.55B
WES:
$2.79B
PAA:
$2.54B
WES:
$2.16B
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Return for Risk
PAA vs. WES — Risk / Return Rank
PAA
WES
PAA vs. WES - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (PAA) and Western Midstream Partners, LP (WES). 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.
| PAA | WES | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.53 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.74 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.28 | 1.21 | +0.07 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.10 | 2.46 | -0.36 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.74 | 5.26 | +0.48 |
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Drawdowns
PAA vs. WES - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PAA drawdown since its inception was -91.99%, roughly equal to the maximum WES drawdown of -93.66%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PAA and WES.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PAA | WES | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -91.99% | -93.66% | +1.67% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.53% | -9.42% | -5.11% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -22.26% | -16.65% | -5.61% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -22.51% | -23.54% | +1.03% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -87.92% | -91.90% | +3.98% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -12.15% | -8.07% | -4.08% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -25.74% | -28.45% | +2.71% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.32% | 4.41% | +0.91% |
Volatility
PAA vs. WES - Volatility Comparison
Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (PAA) and Western Midstream Partners, LP (WES) have volatilities of 6.59% and 6.57%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PAA | WES | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.59% | 6.57% | +0.02% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 14.35% | 15.53% | -1.18% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 18.38% | 20.33% | -1.95% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 26.58% | 28.97% | -2.39% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 41.79% | 46.48% | -4.69% |
Dividends
PAA vs. WES - Dividend Comparison
PAA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.28%, less than WES's 8.41% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PAA Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. | 7.28% | 8.46% | 7.44% | 7.06% | 7.08% | 7.71% | 10.92% | 7.50% | 5.99% | 9.45% | 8.21% | 11.93% |
WES Western Midstream Partners, LP | 8.41% | 9.13% | 8.33% | 8.52% | 6.80% | 5.69% | 11.25% | 12.45% | 8.28% | 5.43% | 4.03% | 3.86% |
Financials
PAA vs. WES - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. and Western Midstream Partners, LP. 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
PAA vs. WES - Profitability Comparison
PAA - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. reported a gross profit of 0.00 and revenue of 12.47B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 0.0%.
WES - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Western Midstream Partners, LP reported a gross profit of 859.34M and revenue of 1.12B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 76.5%.
PAA - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. reported an operating income of 405.00M and revenue of 12.47B, resulting in an operating margin of 3.3%.
WES - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Western Midstream Partners, LP reported an operating income of 469.19M and revenue of 1.12B, resulting in an operating margin of 41.8%.
PAA - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. reported a net income of 551.00M and revenue of 12.47B, resulting in a net margin of 4.4%.
WES - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Western Midstream Partners, LP reported a net income of 350.28M and revenue of 1.12B, resulting in a net margin of 31.2%.
Frequently Asked Questions
PAA and WES have a correlation of 0.58, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
PAA has higher volatility (6.59%) compared to WES (6.57%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PAA dropped -91.99% vs WES's -93.66%.
PAA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.67 vs 1.14), 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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