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NEE vs. NRG: NextEra Energy vs. NRG Energy Stock Comparison

How do NextEra Energy (NEE) 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

NextEra Energy (NEE) 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 NextEra Energy (NEE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
Profile ItemNEENRG
NameNextEra Energy Inc.NRG Energy, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryElectric UtilitiesElectric Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryElectric UtilitiesElectric Utilities
Market Capitalization182.36 billion USD18.56 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973December 2, 2003
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

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

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for NextEra Energy (NEE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricNEENRG
Total Return (1Y)7.27%-43.14%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)20.47%31.18%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)3.34%25.79%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for NextEra Energy (NEE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricNEENRG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)21.60%52.51%
Beta (5Y)0.591.20
Max Drawdown (5Y)-44.97%-55.72%
Avg. Volume (3M)11.90M3.15M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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NEE 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 NextEra Energy (NEE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricNEENRG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.14-0.90
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.21-1.19

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both companies show strong equity returns, but NRG Energy (NRG) at 23.77% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; NextEra Energy (NEE) at 14.06% also sits in the top quartile.

NEE

Utilities industry group

14.06%

Max
17.99%
NEE
14.06%
Q3
12.01%
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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NextEra Energy (NEE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

NextEra Energy (NEE) at 40.37% retains an above-range share of revenue as profit, while NRG Energy (NRG) at 2.56% keeps a bottom-quartile share — a wide gap in how much each sales dollar survives to the bottom line.

NEE

Utilities industry group

40.37%

NEE
40.37%
Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
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%
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NextEra Energy (NEE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

NextEra Energy (NEE) at 33.00% carries a top-quartile operating margin, while NRG Energy (NRG) at 12.77% operates in the bottom quartile.

NEE

Utilities industry group

33.00%

Max
53.83%
NEE
33.00%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
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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NextEra Energy (NEE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for NextEra Energy (NEE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricNEENRG
ROE (TTM)14.06%23.77%
ROA (TTM)2.41%4.06%
Net Margin (TTM)40.37%2.56%
Operating Margin (TTM)33.00%12.77%
Gross Margin (TTM)60.17%18.80%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both NextEra Energy (NEE) at 10.74% and NRG Energy (NRG) at 9.18% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

EPS Growth

NextEra Energy (NEE) at -2.63% 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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NextEra Energy (NEE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for NextEra Energy (NEE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricNEENRG
Revenue Growth (YoY)10.74%9.18%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)9.36%-0.88%
EPS Growth (YoY)-2.63%-19.64%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)16.28%-8.12%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

NRG Energy (NRG) at 0.97 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while NextEra Energy (NEE) at 0.53 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for NEE.

NEE

Utilities industry group

0.53

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
NEE
0.53
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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NextEra Energy (NEE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

NextEra Energy (NEE) at 1.53 is near its industry mid-range for debt-to-equity ratio, while NRG Energy (NRG) at 4.83 sits above its benchmark range, pointing to a heavier debt load relative to equity.

NEE

Utilities industry group

1.53

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
NEE
1.53
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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NextEra Energy (NEE) 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 NextEra Energy (NEE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricNEENRG
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.530.97
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.534.83
Net Debt / EBITDA8.097.16

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both NextEra Energy (NEE) at 2.76% and NRG Energy (NRG) at 2.32% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

NEE

Utilities industry group

2.76%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
NEE
2.76%
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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NextEra Energy (NEE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both NextEra Energy (NEE) at 43.89% and NRG Energy (NRG) at 47.91% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

NEE

Utilities industry group

43.89%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
NEE
43.89%
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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NextEra Energy (NEE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for NextEra Energy (NEE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricNEENRG
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.76%2.32%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)43.89%47.91%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both NextEra Energy (NEE) at 15.67 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.

NEE

Utilities industry group

15.67

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
Median
19.64
NEE
15.67
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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NextEra Energy (NEE) 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 looks cheap on sales in the lower P/S ratio quartile, while NextEra Energy (NEE) at 6.33 looks rich in the upper quartile — a clear gap in price per dollar of revenue.

NEE

Utilities industry group

6.33

Max
6.35
NEE
6.33
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
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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NextEra Energy (NEE) 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: NextEra Energy (NEE) at 2.97 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and NRG Energy (NRG) at 4.42 prices even higher, above its industry range.

NEE

Utilities industry group

2.97

Max
3.12
NEE
2.97
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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NextEra Energy (NEE) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for NextEra Energy (NEE) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricNEENRG
P/E Ratio (TTM)15.6723.11
P/S Ratio (TTM)6.330.56
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.974.42
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-11.63%4.16%