American Electric Power Company Inc vs NetApp Inc. — how do they compare? American Electric Power Company Inc trades at $123.61 (market cap $66.87B), while NetApp Inc. trades at $198.55 (market cap $39.00B). The key difference: American Electric Power Company Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and American Electric Power Company Inc pays the higher dividend (3.09%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AEP | NTAP | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $66.87B | $39.00B |
Sector | Utilities | Technology |
52-Week High | $138.69 | $198.72 |
52-Week Low | $106.44 | $94.11 |
Enterprise Value | $119.77B | $38.14B |
Dividend Yield | 3.09% | 1.05% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
American Electric Power (AEP) trades at $125.73, up 0.38% on the day, with a bearish technical signal but strong analyst support. Recent Q2 2026 earnings missed estimates at $1.36 per share versus $1.48 expected, though the company raised full-year 2026 operating EPS guidance to $6.25–$6.55, reflecting confidence in AI-driven power demand growth. Fundamentals show robust revenue growth to $21.88B in 2025 and a net income margin of 13.78%, supported by a $78 billion capital plan.
The outlook remains positive due to contracted load growth and infrastructure investments, but risks include execution of large capital expenditures and interest rate sensitivity. With a consensus price target of $140.89 and no sell ratings, Wall Street sentiment is bullish, though technical indicators suggest near-term caution amid bearish moving averages.
NetApp (NTAP) trades at $189.52, down 1.02% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages and strong support at $186. The company reported Q1 2026 EPS of $2.43, beating estimates, and maintains robust profitability with an 18.43% net margin. Recent acquisitions of JetStream Software and DataPelago aim to enhance AI infrastructure capabilities, driving positive sentiment amid rising cloud demand.
Outlook remains favorable with consistent earnings beats and strategic AI investments, but risks include high valuation multiples (P/E 29.85) and competitive pressures. Analysts show mixed sentiment with a $170.73 consensus target, suggesting cautious optimism. Institutional holdings reflect confidence, though debt levels have risen to 29.89% of assets, warranting monitoring.
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 →NetApp is a leading provider of enterprise data management and storage solutions. The company's three operating business units are products, software maintenance, and hardware maintenance. NetApp transitioned from a data center storage firm to a company with software data management solutions for multicloud environments. The California-headquartered company sells globally and has approximately 10,000 employees.
Read more on NTAP →