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CMS vs. TLN: CMS Energy vs. Talen Energy Stock Comparison

How do CMS Energy (CMS) and Talen Energy (TLN) 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

CMS Energy (CMS) and Talen Energy (TLN) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but CMS is classified in Multi-Utilities while TLN is classified in Independent Power and Renewable Electricity Producers.

CMS Energy (CMS) has more than two decades of public-market history since February 21, 1973, whereas Talen Energy (TLN) listed on June 2, 2023 and has a much shorter record to draw on.

Company profile comparison for CMS Energy (CMS) and Talen Energy (TLN)
Profile ItemCMSTLN
NameCMS Energy Corporation Common StockTalen Energy Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryMulti-UtilitiesIndependent Power and Renewable Electricity Producers
GICS Sub-IndustryMulti-UtilitiesIndependent Power Producers & Energy Traders
Market Capitalization21.70 billion USD14.73 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973June 2, 2023
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CMS
TLN
GSPC
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CMS Energy (CMS) vs. Talen Energy (TLN), 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 CMS Energy (CMS) and Talen Energy (TLN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for CMS Energy (CMS) and Talen Energy (TLN). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for CMS Energy (CMS) and Talen Energy (TLN)
MetricCMSTLN
Total Return (1Y)-1.93%-6.63%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)11.79%88.64%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)6.25%--

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CMS
TLN
GSPC
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CMS Energy (CMS) vs. Talen Energy (TLN), 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 CMS Energy (CMS) and Talen Energy (TLN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Talen Energy (TLN) has an aggressive beta of 1.53, indicating higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while CMS Energy (CMS) is defensive at 0.31 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.

Risk profile metrics for CMS Energy (CMS) and Talen Energy (TLN)
MetricCMSTLN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)17.58%58.28%
Beta (5Y)0.311.53
Max Drawdown (5Y)-28.04%-36.72%
Avg. Volume (3M)3.84M1.01M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CMS and TLN 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 CMS Energy (CMS) and Talen Energy (TLN)
MetricCMSTLN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.35-0.19
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.49-0.26

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Talen Energy (TLN) reports a negative ROE of -16.54%; negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity, so it is harder to read as capital efficiency. Meanwhile CMS Energy (CMS) reports 5.31%, ranking against industry peers normally.

CMS

Utilities industry group

5.31%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
CMS
5.31%
Min
2.17%

TLN

Utilities industry group

-16.54%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
TLN
-16.54%
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CMS Energy (CMS) vs. Talen Energy (TLN): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Talen Energy (TLN) reports a negative net margin of -5.67%, usually indicating a net loss over the period. Meanwhile CMS Energy (CMS) reports 9.72%, ranking against industry peers normally.

CMS

Utilities industry group

9.72%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
CMS
9.72%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%

TLN

Utilities industry group

-5.67%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%
TLN
-5.67%
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CMS Energy (CMS) vs. Talen Energy (TLN): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both CMS Energy (CMS) at 28.45% and Talen Energy (TLN) at 17.35% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

CMS

Utilities industry group

28.45%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
CMS
28.45%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%

TLN

Utilities industry group

17.35%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
TLN
17.35%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%
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CMS Energy (CMS) vs. Talen Energy (TLN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for CMS Energy (CMS) and Talen Energy (TLN)
MetricCMSTLN
ROE (TTM)5.31%-16.54%
ROA (TTM)3.07%0.88%
Net Margin (TTM)9.72%-5.67%
Operating Margin (TTM)28.45%17.35%
Gross Margin (TTM)40.76%42.67%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both CMS Energy (CMS) at 13.63% and Talen Energy (TLN) at 26.68% sit in the top peer quartile for revenue growth, so each is growing its top line faster than typical industry peers.

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CMS Energy (CMS) vs. Talen Energy (TLN): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

CMS Energy (CMS) at 4.19% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Talen Energy (TLN) at -127.11% falls below its industry range, a notably weak earnings reading.

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CMS Energy (CMS) vs. Talen Energy (TLN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for CMS Energy (CMS) and Talen Energy (TLN)
MetricCMSTLN
Revenue Growth (YoY)13.63%26.68%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.22%2.87%
EPS Growth (YoY)4.19%-127.11%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)6.84%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both CMS Energy (CMS) at 0.95 and Talen Energy (TLN) at 0.89 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

CMS

Utilities industry group

0.95

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
CMS
0.95
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29

TLN

Utilities industry group

0.89

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
TLN
0.89
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29
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CMS Energy (CMS) vs. Talen Energy (TLN): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both balance sheets lean debt-heavy versus peers, but TLN is more stretched: CMS Energy (CMS) at 1.96 sits in the higher-leverage quartile and Talen Energy (TLN) at 5.97 is above its industry benchmark range.

CMS

Utilities industry group

1.96

Max
2.63
CMS
1.96
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00

TLN

Utilities industry group

5.97

TLN
5.97
Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00
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CMS Energy (CMS) vs. Talen Energy (TLN): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for CMS Energy (CMS) and Talen Energy (TLN)
MetricCMSTLN
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.950.89
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.965.97
Net Debt / EBITDA6.3313.69

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Talen Energy (TLN) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile CMS Energy (CMS) reports a yield of 3.21%, ranking against industry peers normally.

CMS

Utilities industry group

3.21%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
CMS
3.21%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%

TLN

Utilities industry group

0.00%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Talen Energy (TLN) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile CMS Energy (CMS) reports a payout of 80.45%, ranking against industry peers normally.

CMS

Utilities industry group

80.45%

Max
113.04%
CMS
80.45%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%

TLN

Utilities industry group

0.00%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for CMS Energy (CMS) and Talen Energy (TLN)
MetricCMSTLN
Dividend Yield (TTM)3.21%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)80.45%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: CMS Energy (CMS) trades at 24.71 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while Talen Energy (TLN) has no P/E ratio this period.

CMS

Utilities industry group

24.71

Max
31.22
CMS
24.71
Q3
23.30
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34

TLN

Utilities industry group

--

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34
TLN
--
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CMS Energy (CMS) vs. Talen Energy (TLN): TLN does not report P/E ratio, so it has no value marker; CMS is benchmarked against the Utilities industry group.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both CMS Energy (CMS) at 2.42 and Talen Energy (TLN) at 3.29 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

CMS

Utilities industry group

2.42

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
CMS
2.42
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00

TLN

Utilities industry group

3.29

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
TLN
3.29
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00
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CMS Energy (CMS) vs. Talen Energy (TLN): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: CMS Energy (CMS) at 2.28 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Talen Energy (TLN) at 10.14 prices even higher, above its industry range.

CMS

Utilities industry group

2.28

Max
3.12
CMS
2.28
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34

TLN

Utilities industry group

10.14

TLN
10.14
Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34
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CMS Energy (CMS) vs. Talen Energy (TLN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for CMS Energy (CMS) and Talen Energy (TLN)
MetricCMSTLN
P/E Ratio (TTM)24.71--
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.423.29
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.2810.14
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-9.54%6.39%