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DTE vs. NRG: DTE Energy vs. NRG Energy Stock Comparison

How do DTE Energy (DTE) 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

DTE Energy (DTE) and NRG Energy (NRG) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but DTE is classified in Multi-Utilities while NRG is classified in Electric Utilities.

Company profile comparison for DTE Energy (DTE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
Profile ItemDTENRG
NameDTE Energy CompanyNRG Energy, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryMulti-UtilitiesElectric Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryMulti-UtilitiesElectric Utilities
Market Capitalization28.12 billion USD18.56 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJanuary 2, 1962December 2, 2003
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

DTE
NRG
GSPC
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DTE Energy (DTE) 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 DTE Energy (DTE) and NRG Energy (NRG). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for DTE Energy (DTE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricDTENRG
Total Return (1Y)4.52%-43.14%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)15.85%31.18%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)7.71%25.79%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

DTE
NRG
GSPC
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DTE Energy (DTE) 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 DTE Energy (DTE) and NRG Energy (NRG). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for DTE Energy (DTE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricDTENRG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)17.96%52.51%
Beta (5Y)0.341.20
Max Drawdown (5Y)-28.92%-55.72%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.52M3.15M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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DTE 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 DTE Energy (DTE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricDTENRG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.01-0.90
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.02-1.19

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

NRG Energy (NRG) at 23.77% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than DTE Energy (DTE) at 11.02%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

DTE

Utilities industry group

11.02%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
DTE
11.02%
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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DTE Energy (DTE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both DTE Energy (DTE) at 8.21% and NRG Energy (NRG) at 2.56% let more of each sales dollar slip away before the bottom line than peers do, sitting in the lower net margin quartile of their industries.

DTE

Utilities industry group

8.21%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
DTE
8.21%
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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DTE Energy (DTE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

DTE Energy (DTE) at 16.21% runs core operations around its industry’s norm, while NRG Energy (NRG) at 12.77% operates in the bottom quartile.

DTE

Utilities industry group

16.21%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
DTE
16.21%
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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DTE Energy (DTE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for DTE Energy (DTE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricDTENRG
ROE (TTM)11.02%23.77%
ROA (TTM)2.62%4.06%
Net Margin (TTM)8.21%2.56%
Operating Margin (TTM)16.21%12.77%
Gross Margin (TTM)28.89%18.80%

Growth

Revenue Growth

DTE Energy (DTE) at 26.95% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while NRG Energy (NRG) at 9.18% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for DTE.

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

EPS Growth

DTE Energy (DTE) at 3.84% 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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DTE Energy (DTE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for DTE Energy (DTE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricDTENRG
Revenue Growth (YoY)26.95%9.18%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-6.31%-0.88%
EPS Growth (YoY)3.84%-19.64%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)8.39%-8.12%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

NRG Energy (NRG) at 0.97 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while DTE Energy (DTE) at 0.62 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for DTE.

DTE

Utilities industry group

0.62

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
DTE
0.62
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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DTE Energy (DTE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both balance sheets lean debt-heavy versus peers, but NRG is more stretched: DTE Energy (DTE) at 2.27 sits in the higher-leverage quartile and NRG Energy (NRG) at 4.83 is above its industry benchmark range.

DTE

Utilities industry group

2.27

Max
2.63
DTE
2.27
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
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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DTE Energy (DTE) 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 DTE Energy (DTE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricDTENRG
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.620.97
Debt / Equity (MRQ)2.274.83
Net Debt / EBITDA8.007.16

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both DTE Energy (DTE) at 3.46% and NRG Energy (NRG) at 2.32% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

DTE

Utilities industry group

3.46%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
DTE
3.46%
Median
2.85%
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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DTE Energy (DTE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

NRG Energy (NRG) at 47.91% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while DTE Energy (DTE) at 71.04% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

DTE

Utilities industry group

71.04%

Max
113.04%
DTE
71.04%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
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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DTE Energy (DTE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for DTE Energy (DTE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricDTENRG
Dividend Yield (TTM)3.46%2.32%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)71.04%47.91%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both DTE Energy (DTE) at 20.59 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.

DTE

Utilities industry group

20.59

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
DTE
20.59
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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DTE Energy (DTE) 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 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while DTE Energy (DTE) at 1.69 prices around its industry’s middle — NRG costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

DTE

Utilities industry group

1.69

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
DTE
1.69
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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DTE Energy (DTE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: DTE Energy (DTE) at 2.22 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and NRG Energy (NRG) at 4.42 prices even higher, above its industry range.

DTE

Utilities industry group

2.22

Max
3.12
DTE
2.22
Q3
2.21
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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DTE Energy (DTE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for DTE Energy (DTE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricDTENRG
P/E Ratio (TTM)20.5923.11
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.690.56
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.224.42
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-9.61%4.16%