Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL) vs Xcel Energy Inc. (XEL)

DAL leads on 11 of 16 compared metrics.

A side-by-side comparison of Delta Air Lines, Inc. and Xcel Energy Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 17, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).

Compare
Delta Air Lines, Inc. logo
DAL
Delta Air Lines, Inc.
$54.62B
$83.14Industrials
Xcel Energy Inc. logo
XEL
Xcel Energy Inc.
$49.24B
$78.98Utilities

Total return — DAL vs XEL

growth of $100 · last 19y
DAL +264.8%XEL +222.6%DAL compounded faster
0100200300Start $1002011201520192023$365$323
DAL XEL

DAL vs XEL: by the numbers

  • •DAL is the larger company ($54.62B vs $49.24B market cap).
  • •DAL trades at the lower earnings multiple (12.14 vs 22.57 P/E).
  • •XEL converts more revenue to profit (14.14% vs 6.87% net margin).
  • •DAL grew revenue faster over the past five years (38.80% vs 3.82% CAGR).
  • •XEL pays the higher dividend yield (2.94% vs 0.90%).

Which is better, DAL or XEL?

Metric tally: DAL 11 · XEL 5

It depends on what you're optimizing for:

ValueDAL(lower P/E)
GrowthDAL(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeXEL(higher dividend yield)
QualityDAL(higher ROIC)

Metrics side by side

Valuation

MetricDALXEL
P/E ratio12.14●22.57
Forward P/E15.19●17.40
P/S ratio0.83●3.34
P/B ratio2.662.08●
PEG ratio0.21●5.37
EV / EBITDA6.96●13.98
FCF yield7.23%—

Profitability

MetricDALXEL
Gross margin26.19%●18.91%
Operating margin8.83%19.85%●
Net margin6.87%14.14%●
ROE21.97%●8.78%
ROIC8.30%●3.77%

Dividends

MetricDALXEL
Dividend yield0.90%2.94%●
Payout ratio9.72%67.59%

Growth (annualized)

MetricDALXEL
Revenue CAGR (5Y)38.80%●3.82%
EPS CAGR (5Y)0.89%4.20%●
FCF CAGR (5Y)115.85%●-15.80%
Total return CAGR (5Y)13.55%●6.28%

Frequently asked

Which is better, DAL or XEL?
It depends on your goal. value: DAL (lower P/E); growth: DAL (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: XEL (higher dividend yield); quality: DAL (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, DAL leads 11 to 5.
Is DAL or XEL cheaper?
On trailing earnings, DAL is cheaper: DAL trades at a 12.14 P/E and XEL at 22.57.
Which has grown faster, DAL or XEL?
Over the past five years, DAL grew revenue faster — DAL at a 38.80% CAGR versus XEL at 3.82%.
Does DAL or XEL pay a bigger dividend?
DAL yields 0.90% and XEL yields 2.94% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
Is DAL or XEL more profitable?
XEL runs the higher net margin — DAL at 6.87% versus XEL at 14.14%.
Which has been the better investment, DAL or XEL?
Over the past 10-year, XEL delivered the higher annualized total return — DAL at 9.47% versus XEL at 9.63%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.

Go deeper

Full DAL analysisFull XEL analysisInteractive comparison tool

Dig into the metrics

Delta Air Lines P/E ratioXcel Energy P/E ratioDelta Air Lines dividend yieldXcel Energy dividend yieldDelta Air Lines ROEXcel Energy ROEDelta Air Lines operating marginXcel Energy operating marginDelta Air Lines revenue growthXcel Energy revenue growthDelta Air Lines free cash flowXcel Energy free cash flow

Delta Air Lines & Xcel Energy appear in these rankings

Highest Dividend Yield StocksFastest Revenue Growth StocksHighest FCF Yield StocksLowest P/E Ratio Stocks

Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 17, 2026.