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FE

S&P 500
Weak · 38/100

FirstEnergy

Utilities
Electric Utilities

$47.45

0.2%

Updated Aug 7, 11:30 AM ET

Report Card

FE at a glance — five pillars scored 0–100 from real filed financials.

Value
0
Growth
0
Profitability
0
Health
0
Dividends
0

Overall: Weak · 38/100. A wider, greener shape means more pillars look healthy. Dividends scores 0 when a company pays none — that is a choice, not a flaw.

Price — Past Year

▲ Up 16.9% over the last 12 months

Price 50-day average 200-day averageSource: Yahoo Finance · refreshed daily
Key Metrics

Market Cap

$28.07B

P/E

25.8x

Forward P/E (est.)

26.32x

ROE

8.4%

Revenue Growth

8.9%

EPS Growth

-2.0%

Profit Margin

7.2%

FCF Yield

7.5%

Debt / Equity

2.12x

ROIC

14.0%

Interest Coverage

1.96x

Current Ratio

0.52x

Dividend Yield

3.9%

Implied Growth (rev. DCF)

Rating Score

38/100

Business Overview
Research

FirstEnergy (FE) is a large-cap company in the Electric Utilities industry, part of the Utilities sector of the S&P 500, with a market value around $28.07B.

In its latest reported year it generated about $15.09B in revenue and $1.02B in net profit.

Our model rates FE Weak (38/100) on growth, profitability, financial health, and valuation. The summary below is built from its filed financials and current ratios and refreshes automatically.

Economic Moat

Evidence of durable competitive advantage in the filed financials (10 years of history).

Narrow moat signalsMoat evidence score: 45/100

Some durable-advantage evidence, but not across the board — dig into which ingredient is weak and whether it's cyclical or structural.

Operating margin level32/100

16.6% average over the last 3 years

Operating margin stability64/100

±2.9 pts around 18.7% across 10 years

Revenue durability69/100

grew in 7 of the last 9 year-over-year periods

Free-cash-flow consistency0/100

positive in 3 of 10 years

Return on invested capital45/100

14.0% latest fiscal year

A moat can't be proven by numbers alone — this scores the evidence a durable advantage leaves behind (pricing power, consistency, returns on capital), computed the same way for every stock. Pair it with the business overview before concluding anything.

Technical Analysis (Educational)
Research

Technical analysis reads price and volume to judge momentum and timing. It complements the fundamentals above — it does not replace them. Here is what FE's chart says today, with each tool explained.

Trend — moving averages. A moving average is the average closing price over a window, which smooths out daily noise. FE trades near $47.45, above its 50-day average ($46.59) and 200-day average ($47.11). Price above both averages, with the shorter one above the longer, is the textbook definition of an uptrend — momentum favours buyers.

Momentum — RSI. The Relative Strength Index runs 0–100 and measures how strong recent gains are versus losses. Above 70 is "overbought", below 30 "oversold". At 62 it is in neutral territory — neither stretched nor washed out.

MACD. MACD compares two moving averages to flag shifts in momentum. Its histogram is currently positive — short-term momentum is improving.

Volatility — ATR. Average True Range is the typical daily move. FE's is $0.89 (~1.9% of price), so swings of about that size each day are normal — handy for setting a stop that isn't too tight.

Support & resistance. Over the last month FE found buyers near $45.09 (support) and sellers near $48.62 (resistance); its 52-week range is $39.34–$52.34. A decisive break beyond either edge often marks the next move.

Volume. The latest session traded 1.0× the 20-day average — about normal. Rising volume on up-days suggests real buying; on down-days, real selling.

Educational information to help you read a chart — not a recommendation or a forecast. It updates daily as the price and indicators change.

Revenue Growth
Research

4Y CAGR

7.9%

2/4 checks passedRevenue growingRevenue growth beats sector midpointEPS growingEPS growing faster than revenue

Revenue moved from $10.70B in 2016 to $15.09B in 2025, a 3.9% compound annual growth rate. The most recent year grew a steady 8.9% year over year. Slower, mature growth is common for established businesses.

Profitability
Research
2/4 checks passedProfitableNet margin above sector midpointROE above 12%ROIC above 10%

Gross Margin

60.8%

Operating Margin

14.6%

Net Margin

6.8%

ROE

8.4%

FirstEnergy keeps about 7.2% of each sales dollar as net profit, with a 60.8% gross margin and 14.6% operating margin. Return on equity is 8.4% and return on invested capital about 14.0%. Margins are moderate — typical of a competitive but profitable business.

Debt Analysis
Research
0/4 checks passedDebt under 1× equityDebt under 2× equityInterest covered 3×+Short-term bills covered

Total Debt

$723.00M

Net Debt

$671.00M

Net Debt / EBITDA

0.3x

Debt / Equity

2.12x

Leverage: debt-to-equity is 2.1x, and operating profit covers interest about 2.0x, with a current ratio of 0.5x. That is elevated leverage, which raises risk if earnings or rates move against it. It carries roughly $723.00M of total debt against $52.00M of cash.

Cash Flow Analysis
Research
2/2 checks passedPositive free cash flowFCF yield above 2%

Operating CF

$3.70B

Free Cash Flow

-$1.00B

FCF Margin

-6.7%

In the latest year FirstEnergy produced about $3.70B of operating cash flow but negative free cash flow as it invested heavily. That is a free-cash-flow yield of about 7.5% on today's price. Strong cash generation funds dividends, buybacks, and reinvestment.

Dividend Safety

Can the payout survive a bad year? Scored from filed cash flow, earnings coverage, and the raise/cut record.

BorderlineSafety score: 45/100

The dividend is being paid, but coverage or consistency is thinner than an income investor should rely on without a closer look.

Dividend yield

3.9%

Per share (latest FY)

$1.78

Total paid (latest FY)

$1.02B

History on record

10 years

Free-cash-flow coverage0/100

free cash flow was negative in the latest year — the dividend is being financed

Earnings payout ratio0/100

100% of net income paid out

Raise streak100/100

total dividends increased 9 years in a row

Cut history100/100

no cuts in the last 10 years on record

Coverage uses the latest fiscal year as filed with the SEC; the streak counts total dollars paid (per-share figures can carry split artifacts). Educational information, not income advice.

Valuation Analysis
Research
1/3 checks passedPositive earnings (P/E meaningful)P/E below sector's upper bandForward P/E below trailing (earnings growing)

P/E

25.8x

P/S

1.91x

P/B

2.06x

EV / EBITDA

FE trades at 25.8x trailing earnings (about 26.3x on estimated forward earnings), 1.9x sales, and 2.1x book value. That is a premium multiple that needs growth to justify it.

Metrics vs. Sector Range

Where FE sits versus its Utilities sector peers in the S&P 500.

TTM P/E
25.8xExpensive
Forward P/E
26.3xExpensive
P/S ratio
1.9xCheap
Revenue growth
8.9%Average
EPS growth
-2.0%Weak
Gross margin
60.8%Strong
Net margin
7.2%Weak
ROE
8.4%Weak

Bands show the middle half (25th–75th percentile) of the 38 Utilities companies in the S&P 500 — the peer-relative anchor professional comps analysis uses. Context only — not investment advice.

Sector Peer Comparison

How FE stacks up against its Utilities peers — valuation, profitability, and growth versus the sector median.

In the Utilities sector (47 S&P 500 companies), FE ranks #36 of 47 by our overall rating. It trades at a premium versus the sector on earnings (25.8x P/E vs. 21.3x median) with a lower return on equity (8.4% vs. 10.3%) and faster revenue growth (8.9% vs. 8.8%).

P/E vs sector

25.8x

median 21.3x

ROE vs sector

8.4%

median 10.3%

Growth vs sector

8.9%

median 8.8%

Sector rank

#36

of 47 by rating

CompanyP/ERev Gr.Rating
FEThis stock25.8x8.9%Weak· 38
ES15.6x9.8%Favorable· 59
PPL21.7x-58.8%Neutral· 55
EIX7x13.2%Favorable· 65
WEC21.5x10.0%Neutral· 53
EVRG21.8x-42.6%Neutral· 43
LNT21.9x9.0%Neutral· 57
PEG16.7x19.0%Favorable· 69
Utilities median21.3x8.8%50/100

Valuation vs. quality map

sector medianESPPLEIXWECEVRGLNTPEGFEP/E — cheaper ←→ pricierROE — more profitable ↑

The sweet spot is upper-left: more profitable (higher ROE) for a lower P/E. Dashed lines mark the sector median.

Compare side by side

Peers are the closest Utilities companies by sub-industry and size. Sector median is across all 47 S&P 500 names in the sector. Educational, not a recommendation.

5-Year Projection Model

Project revenue → earnings → price. Edit the assumptions to build your own case.

2030 price target (Base Case)

$0.00 $0.00

vs. $47.45 today · expected CAGR -2%9%

Metric20262027202820292030
Revenue$16.45B$17.93B$19.54B$21.30B$23.22B
Net income$1.15B$1.25B$1.37B$1.49B$1.63B
EPS$1.95$2.12$2.31$2.52$2.75
Share price (low)$31.14$33.94$37.00$40.33$43.96
Share price (high)$50.60$55.16$60.12$65.53$71.43
CAGR (low–high)-34% / 7%-15% / 8%-8% / 8%-4% / 8%-2% / 9%

Educational model on sample fundamentals — not a forecast or investment advice. Outputs are only as good as your assumptions.

Bull Case

The case for FE:

  • Healthy free-cash-flow yield (~7.5%) funds buybacks and dividends.
  • Pays a 3.9% dividend on top of any price gains.
Bear Case

The case against FE:

  • Elevated leverage (debt/equity 2.1x) adds financial risk.
  • Interest coverage is thin (2.0x), so debt costs bite.
  • Our model's overall read is Weak (38/100).
Key Risks
Research

Balance-sheet risk — debt/equity of 2.1x magnifies the impact of higher rates or weaker earnings.

Market risk — sector rotation, the economic cycle, and broad sentiment move the stock regardless of fundamentals.

Investment Thesis
Research

On balance, the fundamentals screen weakly: FirstEnergy is a large-cap utilities business growing at a mature pace, with modest profitability, and a heavier debt load to watch. It trades at 25.8x earnings, which our model scores Weak (38/100). Weigh this against your own goals and time horizon — this is educational information, not a recommendation.

Analyst Ratings

What 25 Wall Street analysts covering FE recommend (August 2026). Consensus is a useful sanity check — not a substitute for your own homework.

Buy
consensus · score 3.8 / 5 across 25 analysts
Strong Buy 5Buy 11Hold 9Sell 0Strong Sell 0

Latest SEC Filings

FE's most recent filings, straight from SEC EDGAR. Annual and quarterly reports are the deep dives; 8-Ks flag material events the moment they happen.

FE — frequently asked questions

Is FE a good stock to buy?

We don't give buy or sell advice. Our model rates FirstEnergy Weak (38/100) based on its growth, profitability, financial health, and valuation — use that as a research starting point and make your own decision.

What is FE's rating on The Stocks School?

FirstEnergy currently scores 38/100 (Weak) on our transparent model, which weighs real fundamentals: growth, margins, returns on capital, balance-sheet strength, and valuation.

How our ratings work
Where does FE's data come from?

Live price data plus real fundamentals and 5-year financials pulled directly from FirstEnergy's SEC filings — refreshed automatically, not hand-entered.

How is the 5-year projection for FE calculated?

It's a scenario model: it grows revenue at an assumed rate, applies a profit margin and a valuation multiple, and shows the resulting share-price range. The assumptions are yours to change — it's a tool for thinking, not a prediction.

Is this FE analysis financial advice?

No. Everything on this page is educational research, not financial advice or a recommendation to buy or sell FE. Always do your own research and consider a licensed professional.

Data notice. Fundamentals and financial statements are sourced from company filings (SEC EDGAR) and market-data providers; prices and market caps refresh on trading days and may be delayed. Ratings, projections, technical signals, and written summaries are model- or rule-generated for education and may simplify or lag the latest filings.

Not advice. Nothing on this page is investment advice or a recommendation to buy, hold, or sell any security. Do your own research and consult a licensed financial professional before investing.