NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE) is the most valuable utility company in the world, far ahead of Iberdrola (OTC:IBDSF) and China Yangtze Power. Electrical utility companies dominate the top of the market, and there's a mix of U.S. and international companies represented.
Largest utilities
Largest companies by market cap in the utilities sector
| Name and ticker | Market cap | Current price | Industry |
|---|---|---|---|
| NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE) | $146 billion | $70.95 | Electric Utilities |
| Iberdrola (OTC:IBDSF) | $119 billion | $19.14 | Electric Utilities |
| Southern Company (NYSE:SO) | $100 billion | $90.90 | Electric Utilities |
| Constellation Energy (NASDAQ:CEG) | $100 billion | $320.35 | Electric Utilities |
| Enel SpA (OTC:ENLAY) | $95 billion | $9.40 | Electric Utilities |
| Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) | $91 billion | $116.92 | Electric Utilities |
| National Grid Plc (NYSE:NGG) | $72 billion | $73.49 | Multi-Utilities |
| Vistra (NYSE:VST) | $66 billion | $195.39 | Independent Power and Renewable Electricity Producers |
| American Electric Power (NASDAQ:AEP) | $55 billion | $102.46 | Electric Utilities |
Companies 1-3
1. NextEra Energy
- Market cap: $144.41 billion (as of June 3)
- Revenue (TTM*): $25.3 billion
- Gross profit (TTM): $17.7 billion
- Five-year annualized return: 4.10%
- Year founded: 1925 (Florida Power & Light), 1984 (FPL Group)
*TTM = trailing 12 months.
NextEra Energy is a leading utility and renewable energy company. It has multiple subsidiaries, the largest of which is Florida Power & Light, the largest electrical utility company in the U.S.
It supplies power to more than 6 million customer accounts across Florida. Another subsidiary, NextEra Energy Resources, is North America's largest generator of wind energy and a leader in solar energy.
2. Iberdrola
- Market cap: $115.22 billion (as of June 3)
- Revenue (TTM): $63.0 billion*
- Gross profit (TTM): $30.9 billion*
- Five-year annualized return: 12.52%
- Year founded: 1907 (Hidroelectrica Espanola), 1944 (Iberduero), 1992 (merger of Hidroelectrica Espanola and Iberduero)
*Converted from euros.
Iberdrola is a Spanish electrical utility company with subsidiaries throughout the world, including in the U.S., the U.K., and Brazil. It serves more than 36 million customers worldwide.
This company first committed to using renewable energy in 2001. In 2024, it set an all-time high with more than 45,000 Gigawatt hours (GWh) of clean energy production during the first half of the year. Also in 2024, it agreed to acquire a majority stake in Electricity North West, a British electricity distribution network operator, for 2.5 billion euros ($2.8 billion).
3. China Yangtze Power
- Market cap: $102.40 billion* (as of June 3)
- Revenue (TTM): $11.9 billion*
- Gross profit (TTM): $7.1 billion*
- Five-year annualized return: 10.89%
- Year founded: 2002
*Converted from Chinese yuan.
China Yangtze Power, headquartered in Beijing, is a largely state-owned utility company specializing in hydroelectric power generation. It owns all the power generation assets of six hydropower stations along the Yangtze River.
Companies 4-6
4. Southern Company
- Market cap: $98.85 billion (as of June 3)
- Revenue (TTM): $27.9 billion
- Gross profit (TTM): $12.7 billion
- Five-year annualized return: 13.23%
- Year founded: 1945
Southern Company (NYSE:SO) is a gas and electric company that serves 9 million customers across the southern U.S. Along with its subsidiaries, it owns or operates 55 facilities in 15 states.
Utilities companies often pay out generous dividends, and Southern Company is no exception. It has a high dividend yield and has raised its dividend for more than 20 consecutive years.
5. Constellation Energy Corporation
- Market cap: $98.23 billion (as of June 3)
- Revenue (TTM): $24.2 billion
- Gross profit (TTM): $6.1 billion
- Year founded: 2022
Constellation Energy Corporation is an electricity and natural gas company with solar, wind, nuclear, and hydro power-generation facilities. Based in Baltimore, Md., it serves residential, business, and public sector customers.
Constellation Energy has had an exciting 2025. In January, it announced an agreement to purchase Calpine Corporation, a natural gas and geothermal power producer. The company said the acquisition makes Constellation Energy the country's largest clean energy provider.
In June, Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) signed a 20-year nuclear power agreement with Constellation Energy. Starting in 2027, Meta will buy power from a Constellation energy center in Illinois that was previously in danger of closing.
6. Enel SpA
- Market cap: $93.52 billion (as of June 3)
- Revenue (TTM): $90.4 billion*
- Gross profit (TTM): $10.9 billion*
- Five-year annualized return: 7.89%
- Year founded: 1962
*Converted from euros.
Enel SpA is an Italian distributor of electricity and natural gas. It operates in 43 countries, has more than 1,000 subsidiaries, and connects more than 70 million users to its grids.
This company produces electricity from a number of renewable and nonrenewable energy sources. These include solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, thermal, and nuclear power.
7-10
7. Duke Energy
- Market cap: $91.12 billion (as of June 3)
- Revenue (TTM): $30.9 billion
- Gross profit (TTM): $20.4 billion
- Five-year annualized return: 9.92%
- Year founded: 1904
Duke Energy is an electric and natural gas company based in Charlotte, N.C. It generates electricity through coal, natural gas, nuclear, hydroelectric, and renewable power sources.
Duke Energy is making substantial investments in improving its electric grid and renewable energy production. It announced a five-year plan with $73 billion in capital expenditures in 2024 and plans to raise the amount to $83 billion in 2025.
8. National Grid
- Market cap: $70.48 billion (as of June 3)
- Revenue (TTM): $54.1 billion*
- Gross profit (TTM): $20.1 billion*
- Five-year annualized return: 9.83%
- Year founded: 1990
*Converted from British pounds.
National Grid is a London-based utility that handles the transmission and distribution of electricity and gas. It primarily operates in the U.K., where it distributes electricity to 8 million customers across a 55,300-square-kilometer service area.
This company also has a presence in the U.S. It owns and operates electricity distribution networks, electricity transmission facilities, and gas distribution networks around the northeastern U.S.
9. Vistra Corp
- Market cap: $56.83 billion (as of June 3)
- Revenue (TTM): $18.1 billion
- Gross profit (TTM): $7.5 billion
- Five-year annualized return: 55.55%
- Year founded: 2016
Vistra Corp (NYSE:VST) is an electricity and natural gas company headquartered in Irving, Texas, and with operations in 20 states. In May 2025, Vistra bolstered its operations when it signed an agreement to buy seven natural gas power plants from Lotus Infrastructure Partners for $1.9 billion.
The company is also the biggest polluter in the U.S. It ranked at the top of the Greenhouse 100 Polluters Index in 2024, ahead of Southern Company and Duke Energy.
10. American Electric Power Company
- Market cap: $55.12 billion (as of June 3)
- Revenue (TTM): $20.2 billion
- Gross profit (TTM): $12.6 billion
- Five-year annualized return: 7.34%
- Year founded: 1906
With 5.6 million customers and a 40,000-mile transmission network, American Electric Power (NASDAQ:AEP) is one of the top U.S. electricity providers. It's divided into seven operating companies, with each one covering a specific region: AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power, Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company.
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Takeaways
Utilities sector takeaways for investors
Utilities companies are generally stable, conservative investments. They have reliable earnings since demand for utilities doesn't fluctuate much, regardless of economic conditions.
This predictability means that utilities companies often underperform compared to the stock market as a whole. Among the largest utilities companies, only one out of nine delivered market-beating returns over the last five years (one, Constellation Energy Corporation, hasn't been in business for five years yet).
And even though utilities companies are known for stability, they aren't immune to market volatility. With the Trump administration's import tariffs, the sector is facing heightened uncertainty due to rising materials costs.
On a positive note, the consistent profitability of utilities companies means that many of them are excellent dividend stocks. Some of the companies on this list have extremely high dividend yields. Overall, the utilities sector will be a good match for investors in search of passive income or just a fairly stable investment.
