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Atmos Energy vs NiSource: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

The structural profiles are close, with NiSource carrying a narrow edge on profitability. Atmos Energy still has the edge on stability, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. The market setup is mixed, without a decisive signal in either direction. The market is not adding a decisive signal either way — the structural read carries the weight.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels. Both peer scores are relative to the S&P 500 universe, making them directly comparable.

Updated 2026-05-17

The lead runs through profitability, while stability still acts as a real counterweight on the other side.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Utilities - Regulated Gas

This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. ATO and NI share the same industry classification.

For a similarity-based comparison, see how Atmos Energy and NiSource each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
ATO
Atmos Energy Corporation
55
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500
vs
NI
NiSource Inc.
57
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

The clearest separation appears in profitability.

Dimension spread: ATO vs NI Profitability 40 67 Stability 70 50 Valuation 66 62 Growth 47 41 ATO NI
Gap Ranking
#1 Profitability +27
#2 Stability +20
#3 Growth +6
#4 Valuation +4
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for ATO and NI Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer ATONI Relative valuation Structural strength

The setup remains mixed because the stronger profile and the more supportive price setup do not sit on the same side.

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Entry today — historical context

Where ATO and NI each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY ATO Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 2 pct gap NI Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 95th 97th
ATO (95th percentile) and NI (97th percentile) both sit in the upper portion of their own 5-year ranges. The historical entry context is broadly similar for both. This reflects entry timing, not which company is structurally stronger.

Describes historical entry positioning only. Descriptive — not investment advice.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Profitability
Both rank well on profitability, but NiSource Inc. still holds a clear edge.
Stability
On stability, the edge still sits with Atmos Energy Corporation, even though both profiles look solid.
Profitability — Dominant Gap
ATO
40
NI
67
Gap+27in favour of NI

The clearest distance comes from a stronger profitability profile.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

Stability still tilts materially toward Atmos Energy Corporation, which stops the result from looking dominant across the whole profile.

What this means for the comparison

The main read on profitability is clearer than the broader score gap.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the ATO vs NI comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Other comparisons with conflicting dimension signals

Explore how ATO and NI each compare against other companies in their peer groups.

Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.

Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.

Because scores are peer-relative, the same company can have slightly different scores in different index universes. On comparison pages, both companies are shown within their shared peer universe wherever possible — so the scores are directly comparable. The peer basis is stated on each score card.

Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.