Acuity (AYI) vs Plug Power (PLUG)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 7, 2026.
Summary
Acuity (AYI) has outperformed Plug Power (PLUG) over the past year, losing 13.4% versus a loss of 54.0%. Over five years, AYI leads with a +44.6% price change compared with -94.3% for PLUG. Acuity is the larger company by market cap ($8.99 billion vs $2.49 billion), about 3.6 times the size.
Acuity pays a dividend yielding 0.26%, while Plug Power does not currently pay one.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | AYI | PLUG |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $300.42 | $1.78 |
| Market cap | $8.99B | $2.49B |
| 1-day change | -0.84% | -4.30% |
| YTD return | -16.56% | -9.64% |
| 1-year return | -13.39% | -54.01% |
| 5-year return | +44.62% | -94.30% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 17.62 | — |
| Forward P/E | 12.90 | — |
| EPS (TTM) | $17.05 | $-1.31 |
| Dividend yield | 0.26% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.77 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $4.35B | — |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +13.14% | — |
| Net income (latest FY) | $396.60M | — |
| Gross margin | 47.83% | — |
| Operating margin | 12.98% | — |
| Net margin | 9.13% | — |
| 52-week high | $380.17 | $4.33 |
| 52-week low | $257.04 | $1.70 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -20.98% | -58.89% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | hold |
| Avg. price target upside | +26.27% | +98.88% |
| Average volume | 306.60K | 52.79M |
| Shares outstanding | 29.94M | 1.40B |
| Employees | 13,000 | 2,344 |
| Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Energy |
| Industry | Building Products | Industrial Machinery/Components |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Acuity is about 3.6 times larger than Plug Power by market value ($8.99B vs $2.49B).
- AYI has outperformed PLUG by 40.6 percentage points over the past year.
- The two companies sit in different sectors: Acuity in Consumer Discretionary and Plug Power in Energy.
About Acuity
AYI stock →Acuity Inc. provides lighting, lighting controls, building management system, and an audio, video, and control platform in the United States and internationally.
Consumer Discretionary · Building Products · 13,000 employees
About Plug Power
PLUG stock →Plug Power Inc. designs, develops, and sells hydrogen products and solutions in Europe, Australia, North America, and internationally.
Energy · Industrial Machinery/Components · 2,344 employees
AYI vs PLUG FAQ
Which is bigger, Acuity or Plug Power?
Acuity (AYI) is larger, with a market capitalization of $8.99B compared with $2.49B for Plug Power (PLUG).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, AYI or PLUG?
AYI returned -13.39% over the past 12 months, compared with -54.01% for PLUG (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which pays a higher dividend, Acuity or Plug Power?
Acuity pays a dividend yielding 0.26%, while Plug Power does not currently pay a regular dividend.
Are Acuity and Plug Power in the same industry?
No. Acuity is in the Consumer Discretionary sector, while Plug Power is in Energy.