Plug Power (PLUG) vs Powell Industries (POWL)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Powell Industries (POWL) has outperformed Plug Power (PLUG) over the past year, gaining 89.4% versus a loss of 54.0%. Over five years, POWL leads with a +2116.8% price change compared with -94.3% for PLUG. Powell Industries is the larger company by market cap ($7.20 billion vs $2.49 billion), about 2.9 times the size.
Powell Industries pays a dividend yielding 0.18%, 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 | PLUG | POWL |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $1.78 | $197.74 |
| Market cap | $2.49B | $7.20B |
| 1-day change | -4.30% | -3.40% |
| YTD return | -9.64% | +86.09% |
| 1-year return | -54.01% | +89.36% |
| 5-year return | -94.30% | +2116.82% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | — | 39.16 |
| Forward P/E | — | 28.29 |
| EPS (TTM) | $-1.31 | $5.05 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.18% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.358 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | — | $1.10B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | — | +9.08% |
| Net income (latest FY) | — | $180.75M |
| Gross margin | — | 29.37% |
| Operating margin | — | 19.73% |
| Net margin | — | 16.37% |
| 52-week high | $4.33 | $328.00 |
| 52-week low | $1.70 | $92.59 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -58.89% | -39.71% |
| Analyst consensus | hold | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +98.88% | +41.60% |
| Average volume | 52.93M | 633.29K |
| Shares outstanding | 1.40B | 36.43M |
| Employees | 2,344 | 3,143 |
| Sector | Energy | Energy |
| Industry | Industrial Machinery/Components | Electrical Products |
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
- Powell Industries is about 2.9 times larger than Plug Power by market value ($7.20B vs $2.49B).
- POWL has outperformed PLUG by 143.4 percentage points over the past year.
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
About Powell Industries
POWL stock →Powell Industries, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, sells, and services custom-engineered equipment and systems. The company's products portfolio includes integrated power control room substations, custom-engineered modules, and electrical houses; and traditional and arc-resistant distribution switchgears and control gears, medium-voltage circuit breakers, monitoring and control communications systems, motor control centers, switches, and bus duct systems.
Energy · Electrical Products · 3,143 employees
PLUG vs POWL FAQ
Which is bigger, Plug Power or Powell Industries?
Powell Industries (POWL) is larger, with a market capitalization of $7.20B compared with $2.49B for Plug Power (PLUG).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, PLUG or POWL?
POWL returned +89.36% 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, Plug Power or Powell Industries?
Powell Industries pays a dividend yielding 0.18%, while Plug Power does not currently pay a regular dividend.
Are Plug Power and Powell Industries in the same industry?
Both are in the Energy sector, but in different industries: Industrial Machinery/Components for Plug Power and Electrical Products for Powell Industries.