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NI vs. NRG: NiSource vs. NRG Energy Stock Comparison

How do NiSource (NI) 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

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

Company profile comparison for NiSource (NI) and NRG Energy (NRG)
Profile ItemNINRG
NameNiSource Inc.NRG Energy, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryMulti-UtilitiesElectric Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryMulti-UtilitiesElectric Utilities
Market Capitalization21.18 billion USD18.56 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973December 2, 2003
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

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

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for NiSource (NI) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricNINRG
Total Return (1Y)6.11%-43.14%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)25.66%31.18%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)16.11%25.79%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for NiSource (NI) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricNINRG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)18.23%52.51%
Beta (5Y)0.531.20
Max Drawdown (5Y)-24.76%-55.72%
Avg. Volume (3M)5.64M3.15M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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NI 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 NiSource (NI) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricNINRG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.10-0.90
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.14-1.19

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

NRG Energy (NRG) at 23.77% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than NiSource (NI) at 8.71%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

NI

Utilities industry group

8.71%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
NI
8.71%
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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NiSource (NI) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

NiSource (NI) at 13.51% keeps about the industry-typical share of revenue as profit, while NRG Energy (NRG) at 2.56% retains only a bottom-quartile share.

NI

Utilities industry group

13.51%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
NI
13.51%
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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NiSource (NI) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

NiSource (NI) at 25.20% runs core operations around its industry’s norm, while NRG Energy (NRG) at 12.77% operates in the bottom quartile.

NI

Utilities industry group

25.20%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
NI
25.20%
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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NiSource (NI) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for NiSource (NI) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricNINRG
ROE (TTM)8.71%23.77%
ROA (TTM)3.25%4.06%
Net Margin (TTM)13.51%2.56%
Operating Margin (TTM)25.20%12.77%
Gross Margin (TTM)50.92%18.80%

Growth

Revenue Growth

NiSource (NI) at 21.76% 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 NI.

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

EPS Growth

NiSource (NI) at 20.37% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while NRG Energy (NRG) at -19.64% is in the bottom quartile, showing a clear gap in earnings momentum.

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NiSource (NI) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for NiSource (NI) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricNINRG
Revenue Growth (YoY)21.76%9.18%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)4.32%-0.88%
EPS Growth (YoY)20.37%-19.64%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)4.68%-8.12%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

NRG Energy (NRG) at 0.97 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while NiSource (NI) at 0.50 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for NI.

NI

Utilities industry group

0.50

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
NI
0.50
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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NiSource (NI) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

NiSource (NI) 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.

NI

Utilities industry group

1.53

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
NI
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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NiSource (NI) 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 NiSource (NI) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricNINRG
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.500.97
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.534.83
Net Debt / EBITDA5.877.16

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both NiSource (NI) at 0.68% and NRG Energy (NRG) at 2.32% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

NI

Utilities industry group

0.68%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
NI
0.68%
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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NiSource (NI) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both NiSource (NI) at 60.51% 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.

NI

Utilities industry group

60.51%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
NI
60.51%
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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NiSource (NI) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for NiSource (NI) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricNINRG
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.68%2.32%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)60.51%47.91%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both NiSource (NI) at 22.64 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.

NI

Utilities industry group

22.64

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
NI
22.64
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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NiSource (NI) 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 NiSource (NI) at 3.04 prices around its industry’s middle — NRG costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

NI

Utilities industry group

3.04

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
NI
3.04
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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NiSource (NI) vs. NRG Energy (NRG): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

NiSource (NI) at 2.21 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.

NI

Utilities industry group

2.21

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for NiSource (NI) and NRG Energy (NRG)
MetricNINRG
P/E Ratio (TTM)22.6423.11
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.040.56
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.214.42
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-10.51%4.16%