AES Corp vs Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. — how do they compare? AES Corp trades at $14.73 (market cap $10.49B), while Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. trades at $47.74 (market cap $98.11B). The key difference: Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. is far larger — about 9.4× AES Corp's market cap, and AES Corp pays the higher dividend (4.79%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AES | CNQ | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $10.49B | $98.11B |
Sector | Utilities | Energy |
52-Week High | $17.28 | $50.55 |
52-Week Low | $12.51 | $29.31 |
Enterprise Value | $40.75B | $108.54B |
Dividend Yield | 4.79% | 3.73% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
AES trades at $14.73, unchanged on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a pending acquisition by Global Infrastructure Partners and EQT at $15 per share. The company reported revenue of $12.23B in 2025, with a net income margin of 7.43%, and has beaten earnings estimates in two of the last three quarters. Valuation ratios appear attractive with a P/E of 5.51 and P/S of 0.81, while cash flow from operations improved to $4.31B in 2025.
The outlook is dominated by the acquisition, offering a capped upside to $15. Strong profitability metrics like a 45.05% ROE and a 4.8% dividend yield provide support, but risks include shareholder litigation and regulatory scrutiny over the deal. Analyst sentiment is mixed with 42.86% buy ratings, reflecting uncertainty until transaction closure.
CNQ trades at $47.25, up 3.82% in 24 hours, with a bullish technical signal and strong earnings beats in recent quarters. The company reported Q2 2026 EPS of $1.53, exceeding expectations, and maintains robust profitability with a net income margin of 22.87%. Recent news highlights record production and a quarterly dividend of $0.63, reinforcing financial strength.
Outlook is positive due to low valuation multiples, consistent dividend payouts, and upward earnings revisions. Key risks include oil price volatility and rising debt levels. Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with 75% buy ratings, supporting potential upside if operational momentum continues.
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 →Canadian Natural Resources is one of the largest oil and natural gas producers in western Canada, supplemented by operations in the North Sea and Offshore Africa. The company's portfolio includes light and medium oil, heavy oil, bitumen, synthetic oil, natural gas liquids, and natural gas. Production averaged 1.16 million barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2020, and the company estimates that it holds over 11.5 billion boe of proven and probable crude oil and natural gas reserves.
Read more on CNQ →