Seek Returns

ES vs. NRG: Eversource Energy vs. NRG Energy Stock Comparison

How do Eversource Energy (ES) 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

Eversource Energy (ES) and NRG Energy (NRG) are both classified in the Electric Utilities sub-industry within the broader Electric Utilities industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Eversource Energy (ES) and NRG Energy (NRG)
Profile ItemESNRG
NameEversource EnergyNRG Energy, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryElectric UtilitiesElectric Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryElectric UtilitiesElectric Utilities
Market Capitalization26.31 billion USD18.56 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973December 2, 2003
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ES
NRG
GSPC
Loading price history…
Eversource Energy (ES) 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

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for Eversource Energy (ES) and NRG Energy (NRG). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for Eversource Energy (ES) and NRG Energy (NRG). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricESNRG
Total Return (1Y)0.35%-43.14%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)14.06%31.18%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)0.61%25.79%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ES
NRG
GSPC
Loading price history…
Eversource Energy (ES) 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

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for Eversource Energy (ES) and NRG Energy (NRG). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricESNRG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)24.60%52.51%
Beta (5Y)0.651.20
Max Drawdown (5Y)-41.69%-55.72%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.53M3.15M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
ES 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 Eversource Energy (ES) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricESNRG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.16-0.90
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.20-1.19

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: NRG Energy (NRG) earns 23.77% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Eversource Energy (ES) has no ROE this period.

ES

Utilities industry group

--

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

NRG

Utilities industry group

23.77%

NRG
23.77%
Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
Loading chart…
Eversource Energy (ES) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): ES does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; NRG is benchmarked against the Utilities industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

Eversource Energy (ES) at 10.38% keeps about the industry-typical share of revenue as profit, while NRG Energy (NRG) at 2.56% retains only a bottom-quartile share.

ES

Utilities industry group

10.38%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
ES
10.38%
Q1
9.18%
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%
Loading chart…
Eversource Energy (ES) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Eversource Energy (ES) at 21.14% runs core operations around its industry’s norm, while NRG Energy (NRG) at 12.77% operates in the bottom quartile.

ES

Utilities industry group

21.14%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
ES
21.14%
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%
Loading chart…
Eversource Energy (ES) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricESNRG
ROE (TTM)--23.77%
ROA (TTM)--4.06%
Net Margin (TTM)10.38%2.56%
Operating Margin (TTM)21.14%12.77%
Gross Margin (TTM)51.63%18.80%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Eversource Energy (ES) at 13.83% 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 ES.

Loading chart…
Eversource Energy (ES) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Eversource Energy (ES) at 100.88% delivers above-range EPS growth, while NRG Energy (NRG) at -19.64% falls into the bottom quartile — a wide split in earnings momentum.

Loading chart…
Eversource Energy (ES) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricESNRG
Revenue Growth (YoY)13.83%9.18%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)3.30%-0.88%
EPS Growth (YoY)100.88%-19.64%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)4.03%-8.12%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Short-term liquidity can only be read on one side of this pairing: NRG Energy (NRG) shows current ratio of 0.97 against its industry benchmark, while Eversource Energy (ES) has no reading this period.

ES

Utilities industry group

--

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29
ES
--

NRG

Utilities industry group

0.97

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
NRG
0.97
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29
Loading chart…
Eversource Energy (ES) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): ES does not report current ratio, so it has no value marker; NRG is benchmarked against the Utilities industry group.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both balance sheets lean debt-heavy versus peers, but NRG is more stretched: Eversource Energy (ES) at 1.81 sits in the higher-leverage quartile and NRG Energy (NRG) at 4.83 is above its industry benchmark range.

ES

Utilities industry group

1.81

Max
2.63
ES
1.81
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
Loading chart…
Eversource Energy (ES) 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 Eversource Energy (ES) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricESNRG
Current Ratio (MRQ)--0.97
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.814.83
Net Debt / EBITDA5.737.16

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Eversource Energy (ES) at 4.33% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while NRG Energy (NRG) at 2.32% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, ES the richer one.

ES

Utilities industry group

4.33%

Max
6.66%
ES
4.33%
Q3
3.58%
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%
Loading chart…
Eversource Energy (ES) 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 Eversource Energy (ES) at 82.19% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

ES

Utilities industry group

82.19%

Max
113.04%
ES
82.19%
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%
Loading chart…
Eversource Energy (ES) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricESNRG
Dividend Yield (TTM)4.33%2.32%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)82.19%47.91%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Eversource Energy (ES) at 18.43 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.

ES

Utilities industry group

18.43

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
Median
19.64
ES
18.43
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
Loading chart…
Eversource Energy (ES) 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 Eversource Energy (ES) at 1.91 prices around its industry’s middle — NRG costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

ES

Utilities industry group

1.91

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
ES
1.91
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
Loading chart…
Eversource Energy (ES) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Eversource Energy (ES) at 1.61 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while NRG Energy (NRG) at 4.42 prices above its benchmark range — NRG looks rich relative to book.

ES

Utilities industry group

1.61

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
ES
1.61
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
Loading chart…
Eversource Energy (ES) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricESNRG
P/E Ratio (TTM)18.4323.11
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.910.56
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.614.42
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)--4.16%