CNP vs. VST: CenterPoint Energy vs. Vistra Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do CenterPoint Energy (CNP) and Vistra (VST) 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

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

Company profile comparison for CenterPoint Energy (CNP) and Vistra (VST)
Profile Item	CNP	VST
Name	CenterPoint Energy, Inc.	Vistra Corp.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Utilities	Utilities
GICS Industry Group	Utilities	Utilities
GICS Industry	Multi-Utilities	Independent Power and Renewable Electricity Producers
GICS Sub-Industry	Multi-Utilities	Independent Power Producers & Energy Traders
Market Capitalization	26.95 billion USD	42.31 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	January 2, 1962	October 5, 2016
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CNP

VST

GSPC

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) vs. Vistra (VST), 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 CenterPoint Energy (CNP) and Vistra (VST). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for CenterPoint Energy (CNP) and Vistra (VST). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for CenterPoint Energy (CNP) and Vistra (VST)
Metric	CNP	VST
Total Return (1Y)	5.91%	-30.09%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	18.08%	57.95%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	11.79%	49.55%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CNP

VST

GSPC

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) vs. Vistra (VST), 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 CenterPoint Energy (CNP) and Vistra (VST). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Vistra (VST) has an aggressive beta of 1.38, 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 profile metrics for CenterPoint Energy (CNP) and Vistra (VST)
Metric	CNP	VST
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	18.24%	53.39%
Beta (5Y)	0.44	1.38
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-22.81%	-48.80%
Avg. Volume (3M)	6.95M	5.98M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

CNP and VST 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 CenterPoint Energy (CNP) and Vistra (VST)
Metric	CNP	VST
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.09	-0.64
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.12	-0.86

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: CenterPoint Energy (CNP) earns 10.14% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Vistra (VST) has no ROE this period.

CNP

Utilities industry group

10.14%

Max: 17.99%
Q3: 12.01%
CNP: 10.14%
Median: 9.44%
Q1: 7.56%
Min: 2.17%

VST

Utilities industry group

Max: 17.99%
Q3: 12.01%
Median: 9.44%
Q1: 7.56%
Min: 2.17%
VST: --

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) vs. Vistra (VST): VST does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; CNP is benchmarked against the Utilities industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 11.76% and Vistra (VST) at 13.15% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

CNP

Utilities industry group

11.76%

Max: 28.78%
Q3: 17.30%
Median: 12.73%
CNP: 11.76%
Q1: 9.18%
Min: -0.20%

VST

Utilities industry group

13.15%

Max: 28.78%
Q3: 17.30%
VST: 13.15%
Median: 12.73%
Q1: 9.18%
Min: -0.20%

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 30.26% and Vistra (VST) at 31.12% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

CNP

Utilities industry group

30.26%

Max: 53.83%
Q3: 31.12%
CNP: 30.26%
Median: 23.62%
Q1: 15.45%
Min: -4.90%

VST

Utilities industry group

31.12%

Max: 53.83%
Q3: 31.12%
VST: 31.12%
Median: 23.62%
Q1: 15.45%
Min: -4.90%

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for CenterPoint Energy (CNP) and Vistra (VST)
Metric	CNP	VST
ROE (TTM)	10.14%	--
ROA (TTM)	3.15%	--
Net Margin (TTM)	11.76%	13.15%
Operating Margin (TTM)	30.26%	31.12%
Gross Margin (TTM)	48.39%	41.52%

Growth

Revenue Growth

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 8.26% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Vistra (VST) at 2.98% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 1.27% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Vistra (VST) at -69.98% falls below its industry range, a notably weak earnings reading.

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for CenterPoint Energy (CNP) and Vistra (VST)
Metric	CNP	VST
Revenue Growth (YoY)	8.26%	2.98%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	0.13%	8.92%
EPS Growth (YoY)	1.27%	-69.98%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	0.21%	--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Short-term liquidity can only be read on one side of this pairing: CenterPoint Energy (CNP) shows current ratio of 1.15 against its industry benchmark, while Vistra (VST) has no reading this period.

CNP

Utilities industry group

1.15

Max: 1.90
Q3: 1.17
CNP: 1.15
Median: 0.88
Q1: 0.66
Min: 0.29

VST

Utilities industry group

Max: 1.90
Q3: 1.17
Median: 0.88
Q1: 0.66
Min: 0.29
VST: --

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) vs. Vistra (VST): VST does not report current ratio, so it has no value marker; CNP is benchmarked against the Utilities industry group.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both balance sheets lean debt-heavy versus peers, but VST is more stretched: CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 2.12 sits in the higher-leverage quartile and Vistra (VST) at 3.73 is above its industry benchmark range.

CNP

Utilities industry group

2.12

Max: 2.63
CNP: 2.12
Q3: 1.77
Median: 1.35
Q1: 0.84
Min: 0.00

VST

Utilities industry group

3.73

VST: 3.73
Max: 2.63
Q3: 1.77
Median: 1.35
Q1: 0.84
Min: 0.00

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for CenterPoint Energy (CNP) and Vistra (VST)
Metric	CNP	VST
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.15	--
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	2.12	3.73
Net Debt / EBITDA	5.98	--

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 2.30% pays a yield in its industry’s typical range, while Vistra (VST) at 0.20% falls in the bottom quartile of its peers.

CNP

Utilities industry group

2.30%

Max: 6.66%
Q3: 3.58%
Median: 2.85%
CNP: 2.30%
Q1: 0.66%
Min: 0.00%

VST

Utilities industry group

0.20%

Max: 6.66%
Q3: 3.58%
Median: 2.85%
Q1: 0.66%
VST: 0.20%
Min: 0.00%

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 52.87% keeps its payout within the industry’s typical band; Vistra (VST) at 15.35% pays out less than peers usually do, retaining more of its earnings — a policy difference more than a quality gap.

CNP

Utilities industry group

52.87%

Max: 113.04%
Q3: 68.72%
Median: 56.38%
CNP: 52.87%
Q1: 32.38%
Min: 0.00%

VST

Utilities industry group

15.35%

Max: 113.04%
Q3: 68.72%
Median: 56.38%
Q1: 32.38%
VST: 15.35%
Min: 0.00%

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for CenterPoint Energy (CNP) and Vistra (VST)
Metric	CNP	VST
Dividend Yield (TTM)	2.30%	0.20%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	52.87%	15.35%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Vistra (VST) at 16.80 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 23.37 sits in the richer quartile — CNP needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

CNP

Utilities industry group

23.37

Max: 31.22
CNP: 23.37
Q3: 23.30
Median: 19.64
Q1: 15.17
Min: 3.34

VST

Utilities industry group

16.80

Max: 31.22
Q3: 23.30
Median: 19.64
VST: 16.80
Q1: 15.17
Min: 3.34

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 2.74 and Vistra (VST) at 2.05 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

CNP

Utilities industry group

2.74

Max: 6.35
Q3: 3.63
CNP: 2.74
Median: 2.63
Q1: 1.52
Min: 0.00

VST

Utilities industry group

2.05

Max: 6.35
Q3: 3.63
Median: 2.63
VST: 2.05
Q1: 1.52
Min: 0.00

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 2.30 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Vistra (VST) at 16.10 prices even higher, above its industry range.

CNP

Utilities industry group

2.30

Max: 3.12
CNP: 2.30
Q3: 2.21
Median: 1.83
Q1: 1.46
Min: 0.34

VST

Utilities industry group

16.10

VST: 16.10
Max: 3.12
Q3: 2.21
Median: 1.83
Q1: 1.46
Min: 0.34

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) vs. Vistra (VST): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for CenterPoint Energy (CNP) and Vistra (VST)
Metric	CNP	VST
P/E Ratio (TTM)	23.37	16.80
P/S Ratio (TTM)	2.74	2.05
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	2.30	16.10
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	-18.50%	--