AES Corp vs Realty Income Corp — how do they compare? AES Corp trades at $14.66 (market cap $10.51B), while Realty Income Corp trades at $61.97 (market cap $58.56B). The key difference: Realty Income Corp is far larger — about 5.6× AES Corp's market cap, and Realty Income Corp pays the higher dividend (5.25%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AES | O | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $10.51B | $58.56B |
Sector | Utilities | Real Estate |
52-Week High | $17.28 | $67.56 |
52-Week Low | $12.51 | $55.93 |
Enterprise Value | $40.77B | $89.19B |
Dividend Yield | 4.78% | 5.25% |
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.
Realty Income (O) trades at $62.51, up 0.24% today, with a bearish technical signal from moving averages but bullish oscillators like RSI. The REIT reported Q2 2026 AFFO of $1.09 per share, matching estimates, and raised full-year guidance, supported by a 98.8% occupancy rate. Recent news highlights its high dividend yield and 115th consecutive quarterly increase, alongside a $6 billion data center joint venture announced in August 2026.
Outlook: Strong dividend growth and strategic expansion into data centers offer upside, but high P/E of 45.63 and recent EPS misses pose valuation risks. Analysts target $67.13 consensus, implying modest growth, with debt-to-asset ratio rising to 39.93% in 2025 signaling financial leverage concerns.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →Realty Income owns roughly 11,400 properties, most of which are freestanding, single-tenant, triple-net-leased retail properties. Its properties are located in 49 states and Puerto Rico and are leased to 250 tenants from 47 industries. Recent acquisitions have added industrial, office, manufacturing, and distribution properties, which make up roughly 17% of revenue.
Read more on O →