American Electric Power Company Inc vs Annaly Capital Management, Inc. — how do they compare? American Electric Power Company Inc trades at $123.87 (market cap $67.28B), while Annaly Capital Management, Inc. trades at $23.21 (market cap $17.44B). The key difference: American Electric Power Company Inc is far larger — about 3.9× Annaly Capital Management, Inc.'s market cap, and Annaly Capital Management, Inc. pays the higher dividend (12.96%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AEP | NLY | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $67.28B | $17.44B |
Sector | Utilities | Financials |
52-Week High | $138.69 | $24.40 |
52-Week Low | $106.44 | $20.21 |
Enterprise Value | $120.17B | — |
Dividend Yield | 3.07% | 12.96% |
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.
NLY trades at $22.91, down 0.56% today, with strong technical momentum showing a bullish moving average signal. The stock demonstrates robust fundamentals with a P/E of 5.59, ROE of 20.66%, and consistent earnings beats in recent quarters. Recent Q2 2026 results exceeded expectations with $0.79 EPS versus $0.75 estimate, supported by growing net interest income and dividend coverage improvements.
Analyst consensus remains positive with a $24.50 price target and 57% buy ratings, though investors should monitor interest rate sensitivity given the REIT's mortgage-focused business model. The 13%+ dividend yield provides income appeal, but funding costs and mortgage market volatility present ongoing risks to book value stability.
Trailing returns across standard periods
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 →Annaly Capital Management Inc is an American mortgage real estate investment trust. The company segments its operations into Residential and Commercial real estate investments. While Annaly's Residential assets are primarily comprised of agency mortgage-backed securities and debentures, it is primarily invested in commercial mortgage loans and mortgage-backed securities in its Commercial unit through its subsidiary, Annaly Commercial Real Estate Group. Agency mortgage-backed securities and debentures make up the majority of the company's overall portfolio. Most of the company's counterparties are located in the U.S. Annaly generates nearly all of its revenue from the spread between interest earned on its assets and interest payments made on its borrowings.
Read more on NLY →