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NRG vs. PCG: NRG Energy vs. PG&E Stock Comparison

How do NRG Energy (NRG) and PG&E (PCG) 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

NRG Energy (NRG) and PG&E (PCG) 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 NRG Energy (NRG) and PG&E (PCG)
Profile ItemNRGPCG
NameNRG Energy, Inc.PG&E Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryElectric UtilitiesElectric Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryElectric UtilitiesElectric Utilities
Market Capitalization18.56 billion USD28.57 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateDecember 2, 2003June 1, 1972
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

NRG
PCG
GSPC
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. PG&E (PCG), 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 NRG Energy (NRG) and PG&E (PCG). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and PG&E (PCG)
MetricNRGPCG
Total Return (1Y)-43.14%-19.03%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)31.18%-6.50%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)25.79%2.05%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

NRG
PCG
GSPC
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. PG&E (PCG), 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 NRG Energy (NRG) and PG&E (PCG). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and PG&E (PCG)
MetricNRGPCG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)52.51%34.84%
Beta (5Y)1.200.17
Max Drawdown (5Y)-55.72%-43.92%
Avg. Volume (3M)3.15M39.33M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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NRG and PCG 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 NRG Energy (NRG) and PG&E (PCG)
MetricNRGPCG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.90-0.67
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-1.19-0.81

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

NRG Energy (NRG) at 23.77% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than PG&E (PCG) at 8.89%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

NRG

Utilities industry group

23.77%

NRG
23.77%
Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%

PCG

Utilities industry group

8.89%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
PCG
8.89%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. PG&E (PCG): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

PG&E (PCG) at 11.57% keeps about the industry-typical share of revenue as profit, while NRG Energy (NRG) at 2.56% retains only a bottom-quartile share.

NRG

Utilities industry group

2.56%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
NRG
2.56%
Min
-0.20%

PCG

Utilities industry group

11.57%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
PCG
11.57%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. PG&E (PCG): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

PG&E (PCG) at 23.64% runs core operations around its industry’s norm, while NRG Energy (NRG) at 12.77% operates in the bottom quartile.

NRG

Utilities industry group

12.77%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
NRG
12.77%
Min
-4.90%

PCG

Utilities industry group

23.64%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
PCG
23.64%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. PG&E (PCG): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and PG&E (PCG)
MetricNRGPCG
ROE (TTM)23.77%8.89%
ROA (TTM)4.06%2.59%
Net Margin (TTM)2.56%11.57%
Operating Margin (TTM)12.77%23.64%
Gross Margin (TTM)18.80%40.57%

Growth

Revenue Growth

NRG Energy (NRG) at 9.18% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while PG&E (PCG) at 2.11% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. PG&E (PCG): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

PG&E (PCG) at 2.61% 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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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. PG&E (PCG): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and PG&E (PCG)
MetricNRGPCG
Revenue Growth (YoY)9.18%2.11%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.88%4.77%
EPS Growth (YoY)-19.64%2.61%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-8.12%12.00%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both NRG Energy (NRG) at 0.97 and PG&E (PCG) at 1.03 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

NRG

Utilities industry group

0.97

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
NRG
0.97
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29

PCG

Utilities industry group

1.03

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
PCG
1.03
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. PG&E (PCG): 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: PG&E (PCG) at 1.88 sits in the higher-leverage quartile and NRG Energy (NRG) at 4.83 is above its industry benchmark range.

NRG

Utilities industry group

4.83

NRG
4.83
Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00

PCG

Utilities industry group

1.88

Max
2.63
PCG
1.88
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. PG&E (PCG): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and PG&E (PCG)
MetricNRGPCG
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.971.03
Debt / Equity (MRQ)4.831.88
Net Debt / EBITDA7.166.05

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both NRG Energy (NRG) at 2.32% and PG&E (PCG) at 1.51% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

NRG

Utilities industry group

2.32%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
NRG
2.32%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%

PCG

Utilities industry group

1.51%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
PCG
1.51%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. PG&E (PCG): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

NRG Energy (NRG) at 47.91% keeps its payout within the industry’s typical band; PG&E (PCG) at 14.81% pays out less than peers usually do, retaining more of its earnings — a policy difference more than a quality gap.

NRG

Utilities industry group

47.91%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
NRG
47.91%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%

PCG

Utilities industry group

14.81%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
Q1
32.38%
PCG
14.81%
Min
0.00%
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. PG&E (PCG): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and PG&E (PCG)
MetricNRGPCG
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.32%1.51%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)47.91%14.81%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

PG&E (PCG) at 9.61 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while NRG Energy (NRG) at 23.11 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for PCG, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

NRG

Utilities industry group

23.11

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
NRG
23.11
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34

PCG

Utilities industry group

9.61

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
PCG
9.61
Min
3.34
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. PG&E (PCG): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both NRG Energy (NRG) at 0.56 and PG&E (PCG) at 1.11 fetch a relatively low price per dollar of sales, landing in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

NRG

Utilities industry group

0.56

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
NRG
0.56
Min
0.00

PCG

Utilities industry group

1.11

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
PCG
1.11
Min
0.00
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. PG&E (PCG): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

PG&E (PCG) at 0.87 sits in the lower P/B ratio quartile relative to book while NRG Energy (NRG) at 4.42 prices above its industry range — a wide valuation gap against assets.

NRG

Utilities industry group

4.42

NRG
4.42
Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34

PCG

Utilities industry group

0.87

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
PCG
0.87
Min
0.34
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. PG&E (PCG): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and PG&E (PCG)
MetricNRGPCG
P/E Ratio (TTM)23.119.61
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.561.11
P/B Ratio (MRQ)4.420.87
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)4.16%-22.73%