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ATO vs. NRG: Atmos Energy vs. NRG Energy Stock Comparison

How do Atmos Energy (ATO) and NRG Energy (NRG) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Atmos Energy (ATO) and NRG Energy (NRG) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but ATO is classified in Gas Utilities while NRG is classified in Electric Utilities.

Company profile comparison for Atmos Energy (ATO) and NRG Energy (NRG)
Profile ItemATONRG
NameAtmos Energy CorporationNRG Energy, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryGas UtilitiesElectric Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryGas UtilitiesElectric Utilities
Market Capitalization29.27 billion USD18.56 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateDecember 28, 1983December 2, 2003
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ATO
NRG
GSPC
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. NRG Energy (NRG), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Atmos Energy (ATO) and NRG Energy (NRG). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Atmos Energy (ATO) and NRG Energy (NRG). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Atmos Energy (ATO) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricATONRG
Total Return (1Y)0.43%-43.14%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)18.83%31.18%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)16.10%25.79%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ATO
NRG
GSPC
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. NRG Energy (NRG), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Atmos Energy (ATO) and NRG Energy (NRG). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Atmos Energy (ATO) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricATONRG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)16.06%52.51%
Beta (5Y)0.551.20
Max Drawdown (5Y)-19.08%-55.72%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.03M3.15M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ATO and NRG are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Atmos Energy (ATO) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricATONRG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.24-0.90
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.34-1.19

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

NRG Energy (NRG) at 23.77% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than Atmos Energy (ATO) at 9.79%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

ATO

Utilities industry group

9.79%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
ATO
9.79%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%

NRG

Utilities industry group

23.77%

NRG
23.77%
Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Atmos Energy (ATO) at 28.50% keeps a top-quartile share of each sales dollar as profit, while NRG Energy (NRG) at 2.56% keeps a bottom-quartile share.

ATO

Utilities industry group

28.50%

Max
28.78%
ATO
28.50%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%

NRG

Utilities industry group

2.56%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
NRG
2.56%
Min
-0.20%
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Atmos Energy (ATO) at 37.22% carries a top-quartile operating margin, while NRG Energy (NRG) at 12.77% operates in the bottom quartile.

ATO

Utilities industry group

37.22%

Max
53.83%
ATO
37.22%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%

NRG

Utilities industry group

12.77%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
NRG
12.77%
Min
-4.90%
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Atmos Energy (ATO) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricATONRG
ROE (TTM)9.79%23.77%
ROA (TTM)3.89%4.06%
Net Margin (TTM)28.50%2.56%
Operating Margin (TTM)37.22%12.77%
Gross Margin (TTM)62.21%18.80%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Atmos Energy (ATO) at 12.91% and NRG Energy (NRG) at 9.18% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Atmos Energy (ATO) at 9.22% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while NRG Energy (NRG) at -19.64% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Atmos Energy (ATO) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricATONRG
Revenue Growth (YoY)12.91%9.18%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)3.83%-0.88%
EPS Growth (YoY)9.22%-19.64%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)10.03%-8.12%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Atmos Energy (ATO) at 0.81 and NRG Energy (NRG) at 0.97 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

ATO

Utilities industry group

0.81

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
ATO
0.81
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29

NRG

Utilities industry group

0.97

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
NRG
0.97
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Atmos Energy (ATO) at 0.68 keeps leverage in the lower quartile, while NRG Energy (NRG) at 4.83 is above its industry debt-to-equity ratio range.

ATO

Utilities industry group

0.68

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
ATO
0.68
Min
0.00

NRG

Utilities industry group

4.83

NRG
4.83
Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Atmos Energy (ATO) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricATONRG
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.810.97
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.684.83
Net Debt / EBITDA3.747.16

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Atmos Energy (ATO) at 2.21% and NRG Energy (NRG) at 2.32% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

ATO

Utilities industry group

2.21%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
ATO
2.21%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%

NRG

Utilities industry group

2.32%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
NRG
2.32%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Atmos Energy (ATO) at 46.13% and NRG Energy (NRG) at 47.91% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

ATO

Utilities industry group

46.13%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
ATO
46.13%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%

NRG

Utilities industry group

47.91%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
NRG
47.91%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Atmos Energy (ATO) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricATONRG
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.21%2.32%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)46.13%47.91%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Atmos Energy (ATO) at 20.65 and NRG Energy (NRG) at 23.11 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

ATO

Utilities industry group

20.65

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
ATO
20.65
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34

NRG

Utilities industry group

23.11

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
NRG
23.11
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

NRG Energy (NRG) at 0.56 looks cheap on sales in the lower P/S ratio quartile, while Atmos Energy (ATO) at 5.95 looks rich in the upper quartile — a clear gap in price per dollar of revenue.

ATO

Utilities industry group

5.95

Max
6.35
ATO
5.95
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00

NRG

Utilities industry group

0.56

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
NRG
0.56
Min
0.00
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Atmos Energy (ATO) at 1.92 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while NRG Energy (NRG) at 4.42 prices above its benchmark range — NRG looks rich relative to book.

ATO

Utilities industry group

1.92

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
ATO
1.92
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34

NRG

Utilities industry group

4.42

NRG
4.42
Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34
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Atmos Energy (ATO) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Atmos Energy (ATO) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricATONRG
P/E Ratio (TTM)20.6523.11
P/S Ratio (TTM)5.950.56
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.924.42
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-7.59%4.16%