CNP vs. WTRG: CenterPoint Energy vs. Essential Utilities Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do CenterPoint Energy (CNP) and Essential Utilities (WTRG) 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 Essential Utilities (WTRG) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but CNP is classified in Multi-Utilities while WTRG is classified in Water Utilities.

Company profile comparison for CenterPoint Energy (CNP) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Profile Item	CNP	WTRG
Name	CenterPoint Energy, Inc.	Essential Utilities Inc.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Utilities	Utilities
GICS Industry Group	Utilities	Utilities
GICS Industry	Multi-Utilities	Water Utilities
GICS Sub-Industry	Multi-Utilities	Water Utilities
Market Capitalization	26.95 billion USD	13.02 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	January 2, 1962	March 17, 1980
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CNP

WTRG

GSPC

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG), 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 Essential Utilities (WTRG). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for CenterPoint Energy (CNP) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	CNP	WTRG
Total Return (1Y)	5.91%	19.07%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	18.08%	13.95%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	11.79%	2.39%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CNP

WTRG

GSPC

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG), 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 Essential Utilities (WTRG). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for CenterPoint Energy (CNP) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	CNP	WTRG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	18.24%	22.14%
Beta (5Y)	0.44	0.61
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-22.81%	-36.53%
Avg. Volume (3M)	6.95M	2.38M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

CNP and WTRG 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 Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	CNP	WTRG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.09	0.67
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.12	1.08

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 10.14% and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 8.13% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

CNP

Utilities industry group

10.14%

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

WTRG

Utilities industry group

8.13%

Max: 17.99%
Q3: 12.01%
Median: 9.44%
WTRG: 8.13%
Q1: 7.56%
Min: 2.17%

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 21.79% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 11.76%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

CNP

Utilities industry group

11.76%

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

WTRG

Utilities industry group

21.79%

Max: 28.78%
WTRG: 21.79%
Q3: 17.30%
Median: 12.73%
Q1: 9.18%
Min: -0.20%

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

Operating Margin (TTM)

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 38.94% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 30.26%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

CNP

Utilities industry group

30.26%

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

WTRG

Utilities industry group

38.94%

Max: 53.83%
WTRG: 38.94%
Q3: 31.12%
Median: 23.62%
Q1: 15.45%
Min: -4.90%

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

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for CenterPoint Energy (CNP) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	CNP	WTRG
ROE (TTM)	10.14%	8.13%
ROA (TTM)	3.15%	3.00%
Net Margin (TTM)	11.76%	21.79%
Operating Margin (TTM)	30.26%	38.94%
Gross Margin (TTM)	48.39%	57.07%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 18.62% 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 WTRG.

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 1.27% and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.38% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for CenterPoint Energy (CNP) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	CNP	WTRG
Revenue Growth (YoY)	8.26%	18.62%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	0.13%	2.65%
EPS Growth (YoY)	1.27%	1.38%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	0.21%	7.52%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 1.15 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 0.40 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for WTRG.

CNP

Utilities industry group

1.15

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

WTRG

Utilities industry group

0.40

Max: 1.90
Q3: 1.17
Median: 0.88
Q1: 0.66
WTRG: 0.40
Min: 0.29

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.23 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 2.12 uses more debt funding than most peers.

CNP

Utilities industry group

2.12

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

WTRG

Utilities industry group

1.23

Max: 2.63
Q3: 1.77
Median: 1.35
WTRG: 1.23
Q1: 0.84
Min: 0.00

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): 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 Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	CNP	WTRG
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.15	0.40
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	2.12	1.23
Net Debt / EBITDA	5.98	6.30

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 2.30% and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 3.01% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

CNP

Utilities industry group

2.30%

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

WTRG

Utilities industry group

3.01%

Max: 6.66%
Q3: 3.58%
WTRG: 3.01%
Median: 2.85%
Q1: 0.66%
Min: 0.00%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 52.87% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 69.42% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

CNP

Utilities industry group

52.87%

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

WTRG

Utilities industry group

69.42%

Max: 113.04%
WTRG: 69.42%
Q3: 68.72%
Median: 56.38%
Q1: 32.38%
Min: 0.00%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for CenterPoint Energy (CNP) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	CNP	WTRG
Dividend Yield (TTM)	2.30%	3.01%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	52.87%	69.42%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 22.73 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

WTRG

Utilities industry group

22.73

Max: 31.22
Q3: 23.30
WTRG: 22.73
Median: 19.64
Q1: 15.17
Min: 3.34

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

P/S Ratio (TTM)

CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 2.74 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 5.01 sits in the pricier quartile — WTRG costs more per dollar of sales.

CNP

Utilities industry group

2.74

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

WTRG

Utilities industry group

5.01

Max: 6.35
WTRG: 5.01
Q3: 3.63
Median: 2.63
Q1: 1.52
Min: 0.00

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

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.83 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while CenterPoint Energy (CNP) at 2.30 carries an above-peer premium to book — CNP is pricier on assets.

CNP

Utilities industry group

2.30

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

WTRG

Utilities industry group

1.83

Max: 3.12
Q3: 2.21
Median: 1.83
WTRG: 1.83
Q1: 1.46
Min: 0.34

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for CenterPoint Energy (CNP) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	CNP	WTRG
P/E Ratio (TTM)	23.37	22.73
P/S Ratio (TTM)	2.74	5.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	2.30	1.83
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	-18.50%	-5.45%