AES Corp vs Appian Corp — how do they compare? AES Corp trades at $14.66 (market cap $10.51B), while Appian Corp trades at $35.5 (market cap $2.55B). The key difference: AES Corp is far larger — about 4.1× Appian Corp's market cap, and AES Corp pays a 4.78% dividend while Appian Corp pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AES | APPN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $10.51B | $2.55B |
Sector | Utilities | Technology |
52-Week High | $17.28 | $45.64 |
52-Week Low | $12.51 | $18.72 |
Enterprise Value | $40.77B | $2.68B |
Dividend Yield | 4.78% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
AES trades at $14.73, up 0.2% on the day, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages. The company reported strong profitability with a net income margin of 14.34% and ROE of 45.05% for 2025, though Q2 2026 EPS missed expectations. A pending $33.4 billion acquisition by a consortium led by Global Infrastructure Partners and EQT, approved by stockholders, dominates recent developments, alongside a consistent dividend payout.
The acquisition offers a near-term catalyst with a capped upside at the buyout price of $15 per share, presenting a low-risk arbitrage opportunity. Risks include deal completion uncertainty amid shareholder complaints and regulatory scrutiny. Analyst consensus is mixed with 43% buy ratings, reflecting cautious optimism tied to the acquisition's successful closure and the company's strategic shift toward renewable energy investments.
Appian (APPN) surged 13.91% to $34.64 following strong Q2 2026 earnings that exceeded expectations, with cloud subscription revenue growing 23% year-over-year. The stock trades near its pivot point of $34 with bullish technical signals from moving averages, though RSI levels suggest potential overbought conditions. Revenue growth has accelerated from $617M in 2024 to $727M in 2025, with the company achieving its first profitable year with $1.23M net income after several years of losses.
Appian demonstrates improving fundamentals with consistent revenue growth and recent profitability, though negative equity and high debt levels present risks. Analyst sentiment is mixed with 31.58% buy ratings but a consensus price target of $32.50 below current levels. The AI-driven workflow platform shows strong enterprise adoption, but investors should weigh growth potential against valuation concerns and competitive pressures in the low-code automation space.
Trailing returns across standard periods
AES is a global power company operating across 14 countries and 4 continents. Its current generation portfolio as of year-end 2021 consists of over 31 gigawatts of generation, with the generation mix composed of renewables (43%), gas (32%), coal (23%), and oil (2%). The company has 3.5 gigawatts of generation under construction. AES has majority ownership and operates six electric utilities distributing power to 2.6 million customers.
Read more on AES →Appian Corp provides a low-code software development platform as a service that enables organizations to rapidly develop powerful and unique applications. With its platform, organizations can rapidly and easily design, build and implement powerful, enterprise-grade custom applications through intuitive, visual interface with little or no coding required. The company's customers use applications built on its low-code platform to launch new business lines, automate vital employee workflows, manage complex trading platforms, accelerate drug development and build procurement systems. The group generates a majority of its revenue from the domestic market. It serves various industries such as education.
Read more on APPN →