NWE vs OTTR Stock Comparison

Compare NWE and OTTR across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.

Market data as of Sep 11, 2026 market close· AIQ score gap 2 points
NWE
Utilities
vs
OTTR
Industrials
NWE
Northwestern Energy Group Inc
Price
$69.24
Day move
-1.1%
AIQ Score
49/100
Best edge
Momentum
Sector
Utilities
OTTR
Otter Tail Corporation
Leads
Price
$88.06
Day move
+0.15%
AIQ Score
51/100
Best edge
Value
Sector
Industrials

What is the main difference between NWE and OTTR?

OTTR leads the current stock comparison as Otter Tail Corporation, with the clearest separation coming from value and the broader AIQ evidence mix.

AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison

Northwestern Energy Group Inc vs Otter Tail Corporation

Data as of Sep 11, 2026· market close· Cross-sector · Utilities vs Industrials · both in Utilities· Coverage 66/66 fields· High confidence
AIQ VerdictFragileAIQ Comparison Conviction 2/10

OTTR leads

OTTR leads by 2 AIQ points, primarily on Value and Risk Resilience, but the lead has narrowed from 9 points over 30 sessions.

Fragile: 2 of 6 evidence groups support OTTR, its lead is narrowing, and its current signal state is conflicted.

Evidence agreement: 2 of 6Comparison trend: Weakening
NWE

Northwestern Energy Group Inc

AIQ Score
49/100
AIQ Edge Score
8/10
OTTR

Otter Tail Corporation

Leads
AIQ Score
51/100
AIQ Edge Score
7/10

The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors OTTR over NWE, 51 versus 49 as of Sep 11, 2026. OTTR's advantage is driven primarily by stronger value and risk resilience, while NWE holds the stronger momentum profile. OTTR also shows the weaker technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 2 of 6 covered evidence groups favor OTTR today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 2 points. OTTR lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 9 to 2 points over 30 sessions.

Compare Northwestern Energy Group Inc and Otter Tail Corporation across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.

Currently unavailable

Performance over time

Price-return comparison using available daily close history.

NWE
+11.6%
OTTR
+55.5%

Total return comparison

Growth of $10,000

NWE $11,161 · OTTR $15,552

Based on available close-price history. Distribution reinvestment is not added unless already reflected in the source series.

Compare NWE and OTTR against another ticker

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AIQ Factor Divergence

Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.

NWE advantage
0
OTTR advantage
  • Momentum45 vs 32
    NWE +13
  • Value53 vs 64
    OTTR +11
  • Risk Resilience51 vs 62
    OTTR +11
  • Quality47 vs 48
    Even

2 of 6 evidence groups favor OTTR. OTTR’s edge is concentrated in value and risk resilience; NWE keeps a meaningful momentum edge.

What changed since the last close

Latest scored session 2026-09-10, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-09.

NWE-1 AIQ

Largest factor move: Momentum -4

No new signals fired.

OTTR-1 AIQ

Largest factor move: Momentum -4

New signals

  • BB Lower Band Breach bullish, volatility, short horizon

OTTR's lead was unchanged in the latest snapshot.

Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — NWE and OTTR both carry a full feed there.

The central trade-off

OTTR (Otter Tail Corporation): the stronger current systematic profile, led by value and risk resilience.

NWE (Northwestern Energy Group Inc): the counter-case, on momentum, fundamentals.

Which one fits your objective

The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.

Balanced

OTTR

OTTR on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.

Growth

NWE

NWE on combined revenue and EPS growth.

Value

OTTR

OTTR on the peer-relative Value factor, by 11 points.

Momentum

NWE

NWE on the Momentum factor, by 13 points.

Lower downside

OTTR

OTTR on Risk Resilience, by 11 points.

Analyst upside

Even

Analyst targets are level or not covered for both names.

AIQ vs Wall Street

Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.

MeasureNWEOTTRNote
Implied upside to target-8%-8%Level
Target dispersion+33%0%Lower is tighter analyst agreement
ConsensusBuyHoldContext, not a primary driver
Analysts covering21Higher coverage generally improves confidence

Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.

AIQ Agreement Matrix

2 of 6 covered evidence groups favor OTTR. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.

Evidence groupFavorsReading
AIQ ScoreEven49 vs 51
FundamentalsNWEon balancerevenue growth -21.1% vs -3.6%; EPS growth -60.2% vs -110.4%; TTM ROE 5.9% vs 10.4%; gross margin 66.5% vs 40%; operating margin 18.8% vs 17.1% — NWE takes 3 of 5 decided legs, not all of them
ValuationOTTRValue 53 vs 64
TechnicalsEvenPrice vs 50-day -2.5% vs -3.4%; vs 200-day 1.1% vs 0.3%
Risk ResilienceOTTRRisk Resilience 51 vs 62
Analyst expectationsEvenTarget upside -8% vs -8%

✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of NWE and OTTR and are excluded from the count.

AIQ Decision Stability

Fragile

The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.

  • The AIQ gap is narrow at 2 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • Only 2 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • The leader's advantage has been narrowing. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)

Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on OTTR.

How the comparison changed

119 daily snapshots · May 4 Sep 10

OTTR lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 9 to 2 points over 30 sessions.

May 4NWE leads above the line · OTTR leads belowSep 10
Today
OTTR +2
49 vs 51
7 sessions ago
OTTR +2
50 vs 52
30 sessions ago
OTTR +9
50 vs 59
90 sessions ago
OTTR +12
48 vs 60

The lead changed hands 3 times in this window, most recently on Sep 9 when OTTR moved ahead of NWE.

AIQ Signal Divergence

Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.

NWE

2 bullish / 0 bearish / 1 neutral

  • Golden Cross Active bullish, trend, long horizon (2.49%)
  • Bollinger Band Squeeze neutral, volatility, short horizon
  • MACD Bullish Crossover bullish, momentum, short horizon
OTTRConflicted

2 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted

  • Golden Cross Active bullish, trend, long horizon (3.92%)
  • Bollinger Band Squeeze neutral, volatility, short horizon
  • BB Lower Band Breach bullish, volatility, short horizon

OTTR leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.

Price vs model alignment

Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.

NWEConfirmed weakness

Price and the AIQ Score both moved down over the latest session (price -1.1%, AIQ -1 points).

OTTRDivergence

Price is up while the AIQ Score moved down 1 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price +0.15%, AIQ -1 points).

What would flip this result

A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.

  1. 1NWE closes the Value gap — currently 11 points behind, the largest single contributor to OTTR's edge.
  2. 2NWE's Bollinger Band Squeeze turns directional — it is neutral today and would confirm a change in trend.
  3. 3OTTR's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once.
  4. 4The narrowing continues — the lead has already given back 7 points over 30 sessions, and a further 2-point move would eliminate OTTR's advantage entirely.

The full evidence

Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.

Fundamentals

NWE leads on balance
MetricNWEOTTR
Revenue growth (YoY)-21.1%-3.6%
EPS growth (YoY)-60.2%-110.4%
Gross margin66.5%40%
Operating margin18.8%17.1%
Return on equity (TTM)5.9%10.4%
Debt to equity1.240.67

Performance

NWE leads 5 of 6 windows
MetricNWEOTTR
1 week (5 sessions)-0.3%-1.1%
1 month (20 sessions)-0.8%-4.6%
3 months (63 sessions)0.4%-1.9%
6 months (126 sessions)4.5%2.5%
Year to date8.5%8.8%
1 year (252 sessions)24%6.1%

Technicals

Split
MetricNWEOTTR
RSI (14)46.131.3
ADX (14)1016
Price vs 50-day-2.5%-3.4%
Price vs 200-day1.1%0.3%
Volatility (1M, annualized)17.7%14.7%

Risk

OTTR is the more resilient
MetricNWEOTTR
Beta0.060.19
Sharpe ratio0.870.22
Sortino ratio1.330.35
Max drawdown-11%-10.8%
Current drawdown-4.6%-6.7%
Annualized volatility23%21.2%
Value at risk (95%)-2.2%-2.2%

Straight answers

Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.

Which is better, NWE or OTTR?

On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, OTTR is the stronger of the two as of Sep 11, 2026, scoring 51 against NWE's 49. The edge comes from value and risk resilience. NWE is not without a case — it holds the better momentum profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.

Is NWE or OTTR the better buy right now?

OTTR carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 11, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 2 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the AIQ gap is narrow at 2 points. Treat the lead as provisional.

Why does the AIQ Score favor OTTR over NWE?

The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. NWE leads Momentum by 13 points; OTTR leads Value by 11 points; OTTR leads Risk Resilience by 11 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.

Which has more analyst upside, NWE or OTTR?

Analyst price targets imply -8% upside for NWE and -8% for OTTR. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.

Which is better value, NWE or OTTR?

OTTR is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. OTTR on the peer-relative Value factor, by 11 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.

Which has stronger growth, NWE or OTTR?

NWE on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.

Which has stronger momentum, NWE or OTTR?

NWE on the Momentum factor, by 13 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.

Which is riskier, NWE or OTTR?

OTTR is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. OTTR on Risk Resilience, by 11 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.

Is NWE more profitable than OTTR?

The profitability evidence is mixed: gross margin 66.5% vs 40%; operating margin 18.8% vs 17.1%; ttm roe 5.9% vs 10.4%. NWE leads on two measures and OTTR on one measure, and there is no single profitability composite that resolves the split — which of the two reads as "more profitable" depends on whether you weight pricing power or operating leverage.

Is OTTR's lead over NWE getting stronger or weaker?

OTTR lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 9 to 2 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 119 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-05-04 and 2026-09-10. The lead has changed hands 3 times in that window, most recently on 2026-09-09, when OTTR moved ahead of NWE.

What would change the NWE vs OTTR verdict?

The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: NWE closes the Value gap — currently 11 points behind, the largest single contributor to OTTR's edge; NWE's Bollinger Band Squeeze turns directional — it is neutral today and would confirm a change in trend; OTTR's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once; the narrowing continues — the lead has already given back 7 points over 30 sessions, and a further 2-point move would eliminate OTTR's advantage entirely.

What do the current signals say about NWE and OTTR?

NWE: 2 bullish / 0 bearish / 1 neutral. OTTR: 2 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on NWE is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On OTTR it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).

Compare NWE and OTTR with others

Continue your research

This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.

How this comparison is scored

The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.

The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.

How to use side-by-side comparison →

This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.