CluenexPPL Corporation PPL
PPL Corporation scores average on business quality (4.6 of 10). Here is why, in plain words, and what our sealed record shows.
Why it matters
- What PPL Corporation does
PPL delivers electricity and natural gas to millions of customers in the United States, generating revenue through regulated utility rates approved by state regulators.
- What it does best
PPL operates regulated transmission and distribution grids where it captures a 24.5% operating margin, outperforming peers like EXC at 20.8%. This regional monopoly model locks in stable returns protected by regulatory franchises.
- The main risk
Heavy capital expenditure of $4.6B is driving free cash flow negative to -$1.99B, increasing reliance on debt financing in a rising interest rate environment.
Quality, check by check
Scored against its own industry, from company filings.
Operating margins reach 24.5% while net margin stands at 13.4%, but a negative free cash flow margin of -21.1% shows heavy infrastructure spending currently outpaces cash generation.
Regulatory franchises create a regional monopoly moat that locks in captive utility customers. PPL ranks in the 70th percentile for operating margin within its sector.
Revenue grew 6.9% to reach $9.4B, continuing an upward trend from $8.3B in 2023, driven primarily by regulated rate base expansion.
Net debt sits at $18.3 billion with an interest coverage ratio of 2.6x, leaving limited room for error as capital spending runs high and free cash flow remains negative at -$1.99B.
Insiders
Executives and directors, from SEC Form 4 filings we read ourselves. Open market trades only; grants, option exercises and pre-planned sales left out.
No open market buys or unplanned sales by executives or directors.
Our sealed record on PPL
Verdicts appear here 30 days after we publish them; members see today's. Each one is in the nightly ledger, fingerprinted the night it was made.
The first sealed verdicts appear here on Oct 11, 2026.
Questions
PPL Corporation scores average on the Cluenex quality check (4.6 of 10), measured against its own industry. Profitability is weak, moat fair, growth slow and financial health fair.
In the last 90 days of SEC Form 4 filings: No open market buys or unplanned sales by executives or directors.
Oct 29, 2026.
See PPL today
- Today's verdict on PPL, and why
- Fair value with cautious, base and optimistic cases
- The exact price that would change the verdict
- Which stocks each signal names, the night it fires
Cite this page: Cluenex, “PPL Corporation (PPL)”, https://cluenex.com/stocks/ppl/, data as of Oct 10, 2026.