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NRG vs. SRE: NRG Energy vs. Sempra Stock Comparison

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

Company profile comparison for NRG Energy (NRG) and Sempra (SRE)
Profile ItemNRGSRE
NameNRG Energy, Inc.Sempra
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryElectric UtilitiesMulti-Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryElectric UtilitiesMulti-Utilities
Market Capitalization18.56 billion USD51.13 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateDecember 2, 2003June 29, 1998
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

NRG
SRE
GSPC
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. Sempra (SRE), 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 Sempra (SRE). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and Sempra (SRE)
MetricNRGSRE
Total Return (1Y)-43.14%-13.10%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)31.18%7.68%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)25.79%8.14%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

NRG
SRE
GSPC
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. Sempra (SRE), 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 Sempra (SRE). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and Sempra (SRE)
MetricNRGSRE
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)52.51%21.00%
Beta (5Y)1.200.57
Max Drawdown (5Y)-55.72%-31.62%
Avg. Volume (3M)3.15M3.90M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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NRG and SRE 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 Sempra (SRE)
MetricNRGSRE
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.90-0.83
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-1.19-1.07

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

NRG Energy (NRG) at 23.77% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than Sempra (SRE) at 8.73%, 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%

SRE

Utilities industry group

8.73%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
SRE
8.73%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. Sempra (SRE): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Sempra (SRE) at 22.53% keeps a top-quartile share of each sales dollar as profit, while NRG Energy (NRG) at 2.56% keeps 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%

SRE

Utilities industry group

22.53%

Max
28.78%
SRE
22.53%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. Sempra (SRE): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Sempra (SRE) at 21.06% 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%

SRE

Utilities industry group

21.06%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
SRE
21.06%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. Sempra (SRE): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and Sempra (SRE)
MetricNRGSRE
ROE (TTM)23.77%8.73%
ROA (TTM)4.06%1.99%
Net Margin (TTM)2.56%22.53%
Operating Margin (TTM)12.77%21.06%
Gross Margin (TTM)18.80%44.81%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both NRG Energy (NRG) at 9.18% and Sempra (SRE) at 3.92% 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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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. Sempra (SRE): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both NRG Energy (NRG) at -19.64% and Sempra (SRE) at -37.78% post bottom-quartile EPS growth versus peers, pointing to weaker earnings momentum than typical rivals.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and Sempra (SRE)
MetricNRGSRE
Revenue Growth (YoY)9.18%3.92%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.88%-1.73%
EPS Growth (YoY)-19.64%-37.78%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-8.12%-5.99%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

NRG Energy (NRG) at 0.97 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Sempra (SRE) at 1.61 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets 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

SRE

Utilities industry group

1.61

Max
1.90
SRE
1.61
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. Sempra (SRE): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Sempra (SRE) at 0.85 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.

NRG

Utilities industry group

4.83

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

SRE

Utilities industry group

0.85

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
SRE
0.85
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. Sempra (SRE): 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 Sempra (SRE)
MetricNRGSRE
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.971.61
Debt / Equity (MRQ)4.830.85
Net Debt / EBITDA7.166.18

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both NRG Energy (NRG) at 2.32% and Sempra (SRE) at 3.27% 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%

SRE

Utilities industry group

3.27%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
SRE
3.27%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. Sempra (SRE): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both NRG Energy (NRG) at 47.91% and Sempra (SRE) at 56.05% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

NRG

Utilities industry group

47.91%

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

SRE

Utilities industry group

56.05%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
SRE
56.05%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. Sempra (SRE): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and Sempra (SRE)
MetricNRGSRE
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.32%3.27%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)47.91%56.05%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both NRG Energy (NRG) at 23.11 and Sempra (SRE) at 16.74 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

NRG

Utilities industry group

23.11

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

SRE

Utilities industry group

16.74

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
Median
19.64
SRE
16.74
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. Sempra (SRE): 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 Sempra (SRE) at 3.76 looks rich in the upper quartile — a clear gap in price per dollar of revenue.

NRG

Utilities industry group

0.56

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

SRE

Utilities industry group

3.76

Max
6.35
SRE
3.76
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. Sempra (SRE): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Sempra (SRE) at 1.53 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.

NRG

Utilities industry group

4.42

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

SRE

Utilities industry group

1.53

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
SRE
1.53
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. Sempra (SRE): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and Sempra (SRE)
MetricNRGSRE
P/E Ratio (TTM)23.1116.74
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.563.76
P/B Ratio (MRQ)4.421.53
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)4.16%-22.35%