CNP vs. TLN: CenterPoint Energy vs. Talen Energy Stock Comparison

Company Profile

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

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) has more than two decades of public-market history since January 2, 1962, whereas Talen Energy (TLN) listed on June 2, 2023 and has a much shorter record to draw on.

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

Trailing Returns

Calendar-Year Returns

Performance Metrics

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

Return Distribution

Risk Metrics

Talen Energy (TLN) has an aggressive beta of 1.53, indicating higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while CenterPoint Energy (CNP) is defensive at 0.44 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Profitability

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 CenterPoint Energy (CNP) reports 10.14%, ranking against industry peers normally.

Talen Energy (TLN) reports a negative net margin of -5.67%, usually indicating a net loss over the period. Meanwhile CenterPoint Energy (CNP) reports 11.76%, ranking against industry peers normally.

Both CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 30.26% and Talen Energy (TLN) at 17.35% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

Profitability Metrics

Growth

Talen Energy (TLN) at 26.68% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 8.26% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for TLN.

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 1.27% 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.

Growth Metrics

Financial Strength

Both CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 1.15 and Talen Energy (TLN) at 0.89 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

Both balance sheets lean debt-heavy versus peers, but TLN is more stretched: CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 2.12 sits in the higher-leverage quartile and Talen Energy (TLN) at 5.97 is above its industry benchmark range.

Financial Strength Metrics

Dividends

Talen Energy (TLN) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile CenterPoint Energy (CNP) reports a yield of 2.30%, ranking against industry peers normally.

Talen Energy (TLN) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile CenterPoint Energy (CNP) reports a payout of 52.87%, ranking against industry peers normally.

Dividend Metrics

Valuation

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: CenterPoint Energy (CNP) trades at 23.37 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while Talen Energy (TLN) has no P/E ratio this period.

On P/S ratio, both CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 2.74 and Talen Energy (TLN) at 3.29 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

Both look rich against book: CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 2.30 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Talen Energy (TLN) at 10.14 prices even higher, above its industry range.

Valuation Metrics