American Electric Power Company Inc vs Marathon Petroleum Corp — how do they compare? American Electric Power Company Inc trades at $123.59 (market cap $67.28B), while Marathon Petroleum Corp trades at $335.15 (market cap $94.48B). The key difference: Marathon Petroleum Corp is the larger of the two by market cap, and American Electric Power Company Inc pays the higher dividend (3.07%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AEP | MPC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $67.28B | $94.48B |
Sector | Utilities | Energy |
52-Week High | $138.69 | $336.42 |
52-Week Low | $106.44 | $159.11 |
Enterprise Value | $120.17B | $121.00B |
Dividend Yield | 3.07% | 1.19% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
AEP trades at $122.84, down 2.3% on the day, with a bearish technical signal. Recent Q2 2026 earnings missed estimates at $1.36 per share versus $1.48 expected, though revenue grew 7% year-over-year. The company raised full-year 2026 operating EPS guidance to $6.25–$6.55, supported by 69 GW of contracted load and a $78 billion capital plan. Analyst consensus remains strongly bullish with a $140.89 price target and no sell ratings.
The outlook is positive due to robust demand from data centers and infrastructure growth, but risks include high capital expenditures and interest expenses. Valuation metrics like a P/E of 21.42 are elevated, requiring sustained earnings growth to justify. The stock offers a stable dividend, with the next payment of $0.95 ex-dividend on August 10, 2026.
Marathon Petroleum (MPC) trades at $320.32, up 7.42% in 24 hours, reflecting strong momentum after Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations by 22.1%. The stock is in a bullish technical trend, supported by robust refining margins and disciplined operations. Recent news highlights MPC's advantage from global refining tightness and geopolitical disruptions. Valuation ratios like P/E of 11.67 and P/S of 0.65 suggest potential undervaluation relative to earnings growth.
Outlook remains positive with analyst consensus at Buy (75.76%) and a $332.70 price target, though risks include volatile energy markets and debt levels. Earnings growth and cash returns via dividends and buybacks are key catalysts, but investors should monitor refining margin sustainability and macroeconomic pressures.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
American Electric Power is one of the largest regulated utilities in the United States, providing electricity generation, transmission, and distribution to more than 5 million customers in 11 states. About 43% of AEP's of capacity is coal, with the remainder from a mix of natural gas (27%), renewable energy and hydro (19%), nuclear (7%), and demand response (4%). Vertically integrated utilities, transmission and distribution, and generation and marketing support earnings.
Read more on AEP →Marathon Petroleum is an independent refiner with 13 refineries in the midcontinent, West Coast, and Gulf Coast of the United States with total throughput capacity of 2.9 million barrels per day. Its Dickinson, ND, facility produces 184 million gallons a year of renewable diesel. Its Martinez, CA, facility will have the ability to produce 730 million gallons a year of renewable diesel once converted. The firm also owns and operates midstream assets primarily through its listed MLP, MPLX.
Read more on MPC →