Plug Power (PLUG) vs QuantumScape (QS)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 7, 2026.
Summary
Plug Power (PLUG) has outperformed QuantumScape (QS) over the past year, losing 54.0% versus a loss of 70.5%. Over five years, QS leads with a -81.3% price change compared with -94.3% for PLUG. QuantumScape is the larger company by market cap ($2.80 billion vs $2.49 billion), about 1.1 times the size.
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 | QS |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $1.78 | $4.52 |
| Market cap | $2.49B | $2.80B |
| 1-day change | -4.30% | -2.80% |
| YTD return | -9.64% | -56.62% |
| 1-year return | -54.01% | -70.52% |
| 5-year return | -94.30% | -81.25% |
| EPS (TTM) | $-1.31 | $-0.67 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 52-week high | $4.33 | $19.07 |
| 52-week low | $1.70 | $4.46 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -58.89% | -76.30% |
| Analyst consensus | hold | hold |
| Avg. price target upside | +98.88% | +47.35% |
| Average volume | 52.93M | 18.45M |
| Shares outstanding | 1.40B | 587.22M |
| Employees | 2,344 | 700 |
| Sector | Energy | Miscellaneous |
| Industry | Industrial Machinery/Components | 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
- PLUG has outperformed QS by 16.5 percentage points over the past year.
- The two companies sit in different sectors: Plug Power in Energy and QuantumScape in Miscellaneous.
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 QuantumScape
QS stock →QuantumScape Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, develops solid-state lithium-metal battery technology for electric vehicles and other applications in the United States. The company was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.
Miscellaneous · Industrial Machinery/Components · 700 employees
PLUG vs QS FAQ
Which is bigger, Plug Power or QuantumScape?
QuantumScape (QS) is larger, with a market capitalization of $2.80B compared with $2.49B for Plug Power (PLUG).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, PLUG or QS?
PLUG returned -54.01% over the past 12 months, compared with -70.52% for QS (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Are Plug Power and QuantumScape in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Industrial Machinery/Components industry within the Energy sector.