AES Corp vs Vale SA — how do they compare? AES Corp trades at $14.7 (market cap $10.51B), while Vale SA trades at $14.35 (market cap $62.26B). The key difference: Vale SA is far larger — about 5.9× AES Corp's market cap, and Vale SA pays the higher dividend (8.12%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AES | VALE | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $10.51B | $62.26B |
Sector | Utilities | Basic Materials |
52-Week High | $17.28 | $17.82 |
52-Week Low | $12.51 | $9.71 |
Enterprise Value | $40.77B | $78.50B |
Dividend Yield | 4.78% | 8.12% |
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.
VALE trades at $14.71, showing minimal daily movement with a slight decline of 0.07%. The stock faces technical bearish signals from moving averages while fundamentals reveal mixed performance with declining net income margins from 42.85% in 2022 to 5.11% in 2026, despite recent revenue stabilization. Recent earnings misses in Q4 2025 and Q1-Q2 2026 highlight operational challenges, though the company maintains strong cash flow generation of $8.8 billion from operations in 2025.
VALE presents a cautious investment case with analyst consensus leaning neutral (51.35% hold) despite a $16.79 price target suggesting 14% upside. Key opportunities include copper segment growth and disciplined capital returns, while risks involve rising operational costs, earnings volatility, and governance concerns highlighted by recent board disputes. The stock's valuation at 29.42 P/E appears stretched given profitability declines.
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 →Vale is the world's largest iron ore miner and one of the largest diversified miners, along with BHP and Rio Tinto. Earnings are dominated by the bulk materials division, primarily iron ore and iron ore pellets, with minor contributions from iron ore proxies, including manganese and coal. The base metals division is much smaller, primarily consisting of nickel mines and smelters with a small contribution from copper.
Read more on VALE →