Does the media refer more to LNT or NWE?

In the previous week, Alliant Energy had 5 more articles in the media than NorthWestern. MarketBeat recorded 10 mentions for Alliant Energy and 5 mentions for NorthWestern. Alliant Energy's average media sentiment score of 1.09 beat NorthWestern's score of 0.48 indicating that Alliant Energy is being referred to more favorably in the media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment Alliant Energy 6 Very Positive mention(s) 2 Positive mention(s) 0 Neutral mention(s) 1 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Positive NorthWestern 0 Very Positive mention(s) 1 Positive mention(s) 1 Neutral mention(s) 1 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Neutral

Which has preferable earnings & valuation, AEE or NWE?

Ameren has higher revenue and earnings than NorthWestern. Ameren is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than NorthWestern, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Company Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Ameren $8.80B 3.57 $1.46B $5.56 20.41 NorthWestern $1.61B 2.80 $181.09M $2.72 26.91

Is AEE or NWE more profitable?

Ameren has a net margin of 17.17% compared to NorthWestern's net margin of 10.21%. Ameren's return on equity of 10.94% beat NorthWestern's return on equity. Company Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Ameren 17.17% 10.94% 2.99% NorthWestern 10.21% 7.80% 2.69%

Does the media favor AEE or NWE?

In the previous week, Ameren had 5 more articles in the media than NorthWestern. MarketBeat recorded 10 mentions for Ameren and 5 mentions for NorthWestern. Ameren's average media sentiment score of 0.75 beat NorthWestern's score of 0.48 indicating that Ameren is being referred to more favorably in the media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment Ameren 3 Very Positive mention(s) 1 Positive mention(s) 4 Neutral mention(s) 1 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Positive NorthWestern 0 Very Positive mention(s) 1 Positive mention(s) 1 Neutral mention(s) 1 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Neutral

Which has preferable earnings and valuation, ATO or NWE?

Atmos Energy has higher revenue and earnings than NorthWestern. Atmos Energy is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than NorthWestern, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Company Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Atmos Energy $4.70B 6.37 $1.20B $8.14 22.05 NorthWestern $1.61B 2.80 $181.09M $2.72 26.91

Does the media prefer ATO or NWE?

In the previous week, Atmos Energy had 4 more articles in the media than NorthWestern. MarketBeat recorded 9 mentions for Atmos Energy and 5 mentions for NorthWestern. Atmos Energy's average media sentiment score of 0.94 beat NorthWestern's score of 0.48 indicating that Atmos Energy is being referred to more favorably in the media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment Atmos Energy 5 Very Positive mention(s) 2 Positive mention(s) 0 Neutral mention(s) 2 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Positive NorthWestern 0 Very Positive mention(s) 1 Positive mention(s) 1 Neutral mention(s) 1 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Neutral

Which has higher valuation & earnings, AVA or NWE?

Avista has higher revenue and earnings than NorthWestern. Avista is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than NorthWestern, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Company Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Avista $1.96B 1.77 $193M $2.51 16.75 NorthWestern $1.61B 2.80 $181.09M $2.72 26.91

Is AVA or NWE more profitable?

Avista has a net margin of 10.75% compared to NorthWestern's net margin of 10.21%. NorthWestern's return on equity of 7.80% beat Avista's return on equity. Company Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Avista 10.75% 7.65% 2.50% NorthWestern 10.21% 7.80% 2.69%

Does the media favor AVA or NWE?

In the previous week, NorthWestern had 2 more articles in the media than Avista. MarketBeat recorded 5 mentions for NorthWestern and 3 mentions for Avista. Avista's average media sentiment score of 0.53 beat NorthWestern's score of 0.48 indicating that Avista is being referred to more favorably in the media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment Avista 1 Very Positive mention(s) 0 Positive mention(s) 2 Neutral mention(s) 0 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Positive NorthWestern 0 Very Positive mention(s) 1 Positive mention(s) 1 Neutral mention(s) 1 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Neutral

Which has stronger valuation and earnings, NWE or BKH?

Black Hills has higher revenue and earnings than NorthWestern. Black Hills is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than NorthWestern, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Company Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio NorthWestern $1.61B 2.80 $181.09M $2.72 26.91 Black Hills $2.31B 2.50 $291.60M $3.84 19.73

Does the media prefer NWE or BKH?

In the previous week, NorthWestern and NorthWestern both had 5 articles in the media. Black Hills' average media sentiment score of 0.62 beat NorthWestern's score of 0.48 indicating that Black Hills is being referred to more favorably in the news media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment NorthWestern 0 Very Positive mention(s) 1 Positive mention(s) 1 Neutral mention(s) 1 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Neutral Black Hills 1 Very Positive mention(s) 2 Positive mention(s) 1 Neutral mention(s) 0 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Positive

NorthWestern (NWE) Competitors

$73.20 +0.49 (+0.67%)

Closing price 07/13/2026 04:00 PM Eastern

Extended Trading

$73.22 +0.02 (+0.02%)

As of 07/13/2026 06:18 PM Eastern

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NWE vs. LNT, AEE, ATO, AVA, and BKH

Should you buy NorthWestern stock or one of its competitors? MarketBeat compares NorthWestern with other companies and stocks that may be similar based on industry, sector, market capitalization, business model, investor interest, or shared news coverage. Companies and stocks commonly compared with NorthWestern include Alliant Energy (LNT), Ameren (AEE), Atmos Energy (ATO), Avista (AVA), and Black Hills (BKH). These companies are all part of the "utilities" sector.

How does NorthWestern compare to Alliant Energy?

Alliant Energy (NASDAQ:LNT) and NorthWestern (NASDAQ:NWE) are both utilities companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their dividends, media sentiment, institutional ownership, risk, earnings, profitability, analyst recommendations and valuation.

Alliant Energy has a net margin of 18.58% compared to NorthWestern's net margin of 10.21%. Alliant Energy's return on equity of 11.37% beat NorthWestern's return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Alliant Energy	18.58%	11.37%	3.38%
NorthWestern	10.21%	7.80%	2.69%

Alliant Energy has a beta of 0.55, indicating that its stock price is 45% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, NorthWestern has a beta of 0.34, indicating that its stock price is 66% less volatile than the broader market.

Alliant Energy has higher revenue and earnings than NorthWestern. Alliant Energy is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than NorthWestern, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Alliant Energy	$4.36B	4.54	$810M	$3.19	24.02
NorthWestern	$1.61B	2.80	$181.09M	$2.72	26.91

Alliant Energy pays an annual dividend of $2.14 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.8%. NorthWestern pays an annual dividend of $2.68 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.7%. Alliant Energy pays out 67.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. NorthWestern pays out 98.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. Alliant Energy has increased its dividend for 22 consecutive years and NorthWestern has increased its dividend for 21 consecutive years.

Alliant Energy presently has a consensus price target of $77.18, indicating a potential upside of 0.72%. NorthWestern has a consensus price target of $70.10, indicating a potential downside of 4.23%. Given Alliant Energy's stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, research analysts plainly believe Alliant Energy is more favorable than NorthWestern.

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Alliant Energy	0 Sell rating(s)	5 Hold rating(s)	9 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.64
NorthWestern	1 Sell rating(s)	2 Hold rating(s)	3 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.33

79.9% of Alliant Energy shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 96.1% of NorthWestern shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.3% of Alliant Energy shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.6% of NorthWestern shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

In the previous week, Alliant Energy had 5 more articles in the media than NorthWestern. MarketBeat recorded 10 mentions for Alliant Energy and 5 mentions for NorthWestern. Alliant Energy's average media sentiment score of 1.09 beat NorthWestern's score of 0.48 indicating that Alliant Energy is being referred to more favorably in the media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
Alliant Energy	6 Very Positive mention(s)	2 Positive mention(s)	0 Neutral mention(s)	1 Negative mention(s)	0 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive
NorthWestern	0 Very Positive mention(s)	1 Positive mention(s)	1 Neutral mention(s)	1 Negative mention(s)	0 Very Negative mention(s)	Neutral

Summary

Alliant Energy beats NorthWestern on 15 of the 19 factors compared between the two stocks.

How does NorthWestern compare to Ameren?

Ameren (NYSE:AEE) and NorthWestern (NASDAQ:NWE) are both utilities companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, media sentiment, institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, profitability, valuation, earnings and risk.

In the previous week, Ameren had 5 more articles in the media than NorthWestern. MarketBeat recorded 10 mentions for Ameren and 5 mentions for NorthWestern. Ameren's average media sentiment score of 0.75 beat NorthWestern's score of 0.48 indicating that Ameren is being referred to more favorably in the media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
Ameren	3 Very Positive mention(s)	1 Positive mention(s)	4 Neutral mention(s)	1 Negative mention(s)	0 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive
NorthWestern	0 Very Positive mention(s)	1 Positive mention(s)	1 Neutral mention(s)	1 Negative mention(s)	0 Very Negative mention(s)	Neutral

Ameren currently has a consensus target price of $119.50, suggesting a potential upside of 5.33%. NorthWestern has a consensus target price of $70.10, suggesting a potential downside of 4.23%. Given Ameren's stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, research analysts plainly believe Ameren is more favorable than NorthWestern.

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Ameren	0 Sell rating(s)	4 Hold rating(s)	9 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.69
NorthWestern	1 Sell rating(s)	2 Hold rating(s)	3 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.33

Ameren has a net margin of 17.17% compared to NorthWestern's net margin of 10.21%. Ameren's return on equity of 10.94% beat NorthWestern's return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Ameren	17.17%	10.94%	2.99%
NorthWestern	10.21%	7.80%	2.69%

Ameren has a beta of 0.47, indicating that its stock price is 53% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, NorthWestern has a beta of 0.34, indicating that its stock price is 66% less volatile than the broader market.

79.1% of Ameren shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 96.1% of NorthWestern shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.3% of Ameren shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 0.6% of NorthWestern shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Ameren has higher revenue and earnings than NorthWestern. Ameren is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than NorthWestern, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Ameren	$8.80B	3.57	$1.46B	$5.56	20.41
NorthWestern	$1.61B	2.80	$181.09M	$2.72	26.91

Ameren pays an annual dividend of $3.00 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.6%. NorthWestern pays an annual dividend of $2.68 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.7%. Ameren pays out 54.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. NorthWestern pays out 98.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. Ameren has raised its dividend for 12 consecutive years and NorthWestern has raised its dividend for 21 consecutive years. NorthWestern is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.

Summary

Ameren beats NorthWestern on 14 of the 19 factors compared between the two stocks.

How does NorthWestern compare to Atmos Energy?

Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO) and NorthWestern (NASDAQ:NWE) are both utilities companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their media sentiment, risk, dividends, valuation, institutional ownership, profitability, earnings and analyst recommendations.

Atmos Energy has higher revenue and earnings than NorthWestern. Atmos Energy is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than NorthWestern, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Atmos Energy	$4.70B	6.37	$1.20B	$8.14	22.05
NorthWestern	$1.61B	2.80	$181.09M	$2.72	26.91

90.2% of Atmos Energy shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 96.1% of NorthWestern shares are held by institutional investors. 0.4% of Atmos Energy shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 0.6% of NorthWestern shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Atmos Energy pays an annual dividend of $4.00 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.2%. NorthWestern pays an annual dividend of $2.68 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.7%. Atmos Energy pays out 49.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. NorthWestern pays out 98.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. Atmos Energy has increased its dividend for 41 consecutive years and NorthWestern has increased its dividend for 21 consecutive years.

Atmos Energy presently has a consensus price target of $185.36, indicating a potential upside of 3.30%. NorthWestern has a consensus price target of $70.10, indicating a potential downside of 4.23%. Given Atmos Energy's higher probable upside, equities analysts plainly believe Atmos Energy is more favorable than NorthWestern.

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Atmos Energy	0 Sell rating(s)	10 Hold rating(s)	3 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.23
NorthWestern	1 Sell rating(s)	2 Hold rating(s)	3 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.33

In the previous week, Atmos Energy had 4 more articles in the media than NorthWestern. MarketBeat recorded 9 mentions for Atmos Energy and 5 mentions for NorthWestern. Atmos Energy's average media sentiment score of 0.94 beat NorthWestern's score of 0.48 indicating that Atmos Energy is being referred to more favorably in the media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
Atmos Energy	5 Very Positive mention(s)	2 Positive mention(s)	0 Neutral mention(s)	2 Negative mention(s)	0 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive
NorthWestern	0 Very Positive mention(s)	1 Positive mention(s)	1 Neutral mention(s)	1 Negative mention(s)	0 Very Negative mention(s)	Neutral

Atmos Energy has a net margin of 27.58% compared to NorthWestern's net margin of 10.21%. Atmos Energy's return on equity of 9.59% beat NorthWestern's return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Atmos Energy	27.58%	9.59%	4.64%
NorthWestern	10.21%	7.80%	2.69%

Atmos Energy has a beta of 0.6, suggesting that its stock price is 40% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, NorthWestern has a beta of 0.34, suggesting that its stock price is 66% less volatile than the broader market.

Summary

Atmos Energy beats NorthWestern on 13 of the 18 factors compared between the two stocks.

How does NorthWestern compare to Avista?

Avista (NYSE:AVA) and NorthWestern (NASDAQ:NWE) are both mid-cap utilities companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their risk, institutional ownership, profitability, earnings, valuation, media sentiment, analyst recommendations and dividends.

Avista has a net margin of 10.75% compared to NorthWestern's net margin of 10.21%. NorthWestern's return on equity of 7.80% beat Avista's return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Avista	10.75%	7.65%	2.50%
NorthWestern	10.21%	7.80%	2.69%

Avista pays an annual dividend of $1.97 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.7%. NorthWestern pays an annual dividend of $2.68 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.7%. Avista pays out 78.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. NorthWestern pays out 98.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. Avista has increased its dividend for 23 consecutive years and NorthWestern has increased its dividend for 21 consecutive years. Avista is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.

Avista has higher revenue and earnings than NorthWestern. Avista is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than NorthWestern, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Avista	$1.96B	1.77	$193M	$2.51	16.75
NorthWestern	$1.61B	2.80	$181.09M	$2.72	26.91

Avista has a beta of 0.25, suggesting that its stock price is 75% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, NorthWestern has a beta of 0.34, suggesting that its stock price is 66% less volatile than the broader market.

In the previous week, NorthWestern had 2 more articles in the media than Avista. MarketBeat recorded 5 mentions for NorthWestern and 3 mentions for Avista. Avista's average media sentiment score of 0.53 beat NorthWestern's score of 0.48 indicating that Avista is being referred to more favorably in the media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
Avista	1 Very Positive mention(s)	0 Positive mention(s)	2 Neutral mention(s)	0 Negative mention(s)	0 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive
NorthWestern	0 Very Positive mention(s)	1 Positive mention(s)	1 Neutral mention(s)	1 Negative mention(s)	0 Very Negative mention(s)	Neutral

85.2% of Avista shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 96.1% of NorthWestern shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.8% of Avista shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 0.6% of NorthWestern shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Avista currently has a consensus target price of $40.00, indicating a potential downside of 4.85%. NorthWestern has a consensus target price of $70.10, indicating a potential downside of 4.23%. Given NorthWestern's stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe NorthWestern is more favorable than Avista.

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Avista	0 Sell rating(s)	6 Hold rating(s)	1 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.14
NorthWestern	1 Sell rating(s)	2 Hold rating(s)	3 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.33

Summary

NorthWestern beats Avista on 11 of the 19 factors compared between the two stocks.

How does NorthWestern compare to Black Hills?

NorthWestern (NASDAQ:NWE) and Black Hills (NYSE:BKH) are both mid-cap utilities companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, media sentiment, risk, analyst recommendations, profitability, institutional ownership, dividends and earnings.

In the previous week, NorthWestern and NorthWestern both had 5 articles in the media. Black Hills' average media sentiment score of 0.62 beat NorthWestern's score of 0.48 indicating that Black Hills is being referred to more favorably in the news media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
NorthWestern	0 Very Positive mention(s)	1 Positive mention(s)	1 Neutral mention(s)	1 Negative mention(s)	0 Very Negative mention(s)	Neutral
Black Hills	1 Very Positive mention(s)	2 Positive mention(s)	1 Neutral mention(s)	0 Negative mention(s)	0 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive

NorthWestern pays an annual dividend of $2.68 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.7%. Black Hills pays an annual dividend of $2.81 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.7%. NorthWestern pays out 98.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. Black Hills pays out 73.2% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. NorthWestern has increased its dividend for 21 consecutive years and Black Hills has increased its dividend for 55 consecutive years. Black Hills is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.

NorthWestern currently has a consensus target price of $70.10, suggesting a potential downside of 4.23%. Black Hills has a consensus target price of $82.67, suggesting a potential upside of 9.11%. Given Black Hills' stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Black Hills is more favorable than NorthWestern.

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
NorthWestern	1 Sell rating(s)	2 Hold rating(s)	3 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.33
Black Hills	0 Sell rating(s)	0 Hold rating(s)	6 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	3.00

Black Hills has a net margin of 12.61% compared to NorthWestern's net margin of 10.21%. NorthWestern's return on equity of 7.80% beat Black Hills' return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
NorthWestern	10.21%	7.80%	2.69%
Black Hills	12.61%	7.77%	2.86%

96.1% of NorthWestern shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 86.7% of Black Hills shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.6% of NorthWestern shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.6% of Black Hills shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

NorthWestern has a beta of 0.34, meaning that its stock price is 66% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, Black Hills has a beta of 0.71, meaning that its stock price is 29% less volatile than the broader market.

Black Hills has higher revenue and earnings than NorthWestern. Black Hills is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than NorthWestern, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
NorthWestern	$1.61B	2.80	$181.09M	$2.72	26.91
Black Hills	$2.31B	2.50	$291.60M	$3.84	19.73

Summary

Black Hills beats NorthWestern on 13 of the 18 factors compared between the two stocks.

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New MarketBeat Followers Over Time

This chart shows the number of new MarketBeat users adding NWE and its top 5 competitors to their watchlist. Each company is represented with a line over a 90 day period.

Media Sentiment Over Time

This chart shows the average media sentiment of NASDAQ and its competitors over the past 90 days as caculated by MarketBeat. The averaged score is equivalent to the following: Very Negative Sentiment <= -1.5, Negative Sentiment > -1.5 and <= -0.5, Neutral Sentiment > -0.5 and < 0.5, Positive Sentiment >= 0.5 and < 1.5, and Very Positive Sentiment >= 1.5.

NWE vs. The Competition

Export

Metric	NorthWestern	UTIL Industry	Utilities Sector	NASDAQ Exchange
Market Cap	$4.47B	$29.87B	$18.88B	$12.61B
Dividend Yield	3.69%	3.51%	3.98%	8.00%
P/E Ratio	26.91	21.47	19.85	24.26
Price / Sales	2.80	5.00	35.85	117.88
Price / Cash	9.42	9.36	19.40	49.36
Price / Book	1.56	3.14	2.44	6.29
Net Income	$181.09M	$1.56B	$785.96M	$330.66M
7 Day Performance	3.46%	-0.49%	0.10%	-1.32%
1 Month Performance	3.03%	0.29%	-0.67%	-0.64%
1 Year Performance	39.35%	15.93%	12.88%	19.08%

NorthWestern Competitors List

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Company	MarketRank	Share Price	Analysts' Price Target	1Y Price Performance	Market Cap	Revenue	P/E Ratio	Employee Count	Indicator(s)
NWE NorthWestern	3.5459 of 5 stars	$73.20 +0.7%	$70.10 -4.2%	+39.5%	$4.47B	$1.61B	26.91	1,667
LNT Alliant Energy	3.5792 of 5 stars	$76.44 -2.0%	$76.60 +0.2%	+23.4%	$19.81B	$4.42B	24.04	2,948	Positive News
AEE Ameren	4.1093 of 5 stars	$113.08 -1.7%	$119.42 +5.6%	+18.0%	$31.35B	$8.88B	20.37	8,913	Positive News
ATO Atmos Energy	3.7631 of 5 stars	$174.29 -1.5%	$183.90 +5.5%	+16.3%	$29.11B	$4.70B	21.43	5,487	News Coverage Analyst Forecast
AVA Avista	3.2732 of 5 stars	$40.84 -1.4%	$40.00 -2.0%	+10.7%	$3.38B	$1.96B	16.29	1,929

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This page (NASDAQ:NWE) was last updated on 7/14/2026 by MarketBeat.com Staff.

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NorthWestern (NWE) Competitors

NWE vs. LNT, AEE, ATO, AVA, and BKH

How does NorthWestern compare to Alliant Energy?

Summary

How does NorthWestern compare to Ameren?

Summary

How does NorthWestern compare to Atmos Energy?

Summary

How does NorthWestern compare to Avista?

Summary

How does NorthWestern compare to Black Hills?

Summary

New MarketBeat Followers Over Time

Media Sentiment Over Time

NWE vs. The Competition

NorthWestern Competitors List

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NorthWestern (NWE) Competitors

NWE vs. LNT, AEE, ATO, AVA, and BKH

How does NorthWestern compare to Alliant Energy?

Is LNT or NWE more profitable?

Which has more volatility & risk, LNT or NWE?

Which has better valuation & earnings, LNT or NWE?

Is LNT or NWE a better dividend stock?

Do analysts recommend LNT or NWE?

Do insiders and institutionals hold more shares of LNT or NWE?

Does the media refer more to LNT or NWE?

Summary

How does NorthWestern compare to Ameren?

Does the media favor AEE or NWE?

Do analysts rate AEE or NWE?

Is AEE or NWE more profitable?

Which has more risk & volatility, AEE or NWE?

Do insiders & institutionals believe in AEE or NWE?

Which has preferable earnings & valuation, AEE or NWE?

Is AEE or NWE a better dividend stock?

Summary

How does NorthWestern compare to Atmos Energy?

Which has preferable earnings and valuation, ATO or NWE?

Do insiders & institutionals believe in ATO or NWE?

Is ATO or NWE a better dividend stock?

Do analysts recommend ATO or NWE?

Does the media prefer ATO or NWE?

Is ATO or NWE more profitable?

Which has more risk and volatility, ATO or NWE?

Summary

How does NorthWestern compare to Avista?

Is AVA or NWE more profitable?

Is AVA or NWE a better dividend stock?

Which has higher valuation & earnings, AVA or NWE?

Which has more risk and volatility, AVA or NWE?

Does the media favor AVA or NWE?

Do institutionals and insiders hold more shares of AVA or NWE?

Do analysts prefer AVA or NWE?

Summary

How does NorthWestern compare to Black Hills?

Does the media prefer NWE or BKH?

Is NWE or BKH a better dividend stock?

Do analysts rate NWE or BKH?

Is NWE or BKH more profitable?

Do insiders & institutionals believe in NWE or BKH?

Which has more volatility and risk, NWE or BKH?

Which has stronger valuation and earnings, NWE or BKH?

Summary

New MarketBeat Followers Over Time

Media Sentiment Over Time

NWE vs. The Competition

NorthWestern Competitors List

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