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NRG vs. WEC: NRG Energy vs. WEC Energy Stock Comparison

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

Company profile comparison for NRG Energy (NRG) and WEC Energy (WEC)
Profile ItemNRGWEC
NameNRG Energy, Inc.WEC Energy Group Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryElectric UtilitiesMulti-Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryElectric UtilitiesMulti-Utilities
Market Capitalization18.56 billion USD38.12 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateDecember 2, 2003March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

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

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricNRGWEC
Total Return (1Y)-43.14%7.80%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)31.18%18.04%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)25.79%9.22%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricNRGWEC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)52.51%17.21%
Beta (5Y)1.200.43
Max Drawdown (5Y)-55.72%-26.02%
Avg. Volume (3M)3.15M2.71M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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NRG and WEC 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 WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricNRGWEC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.900.20
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-1.190.31

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; WEC Energy (WEC) at 12.49% also sits in the top quartile.

NRG

Utilities industry group

23.77%

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

WEC

Utilities industry group

12.49%

Max
17.99%
WEC
12.49%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

WEC Energy (WEC) at 17.53% 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%

WEC

Utilities industry group

17.53%

Max
28.78%
WEC
17.53%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

WEC Energy (WEC) at 25.44% 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%

WEC

Utilities industry group

25.44%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
WEC
25.44%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricNRGWEC
ROE (TTM)23.77%12.49%
ROA (TTM)4.06%3.08%
Net Margin (TTM)2.56%17.53%
Operating Margin (TTM)12.77%25.44%
Gross Margin (TTM)18.80%42.36%

Growth

Revenue Growth

WEC Energy (WEC) at 13.96% 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 WEC.

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

EPS Growth

WEC Energy (WEC) at -0.41% 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. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricNRGWEC
Revenue Growth (YoY)9.18%13.96%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.88%0.70%
EPS Growth (YoY)-19.64%-0.41%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-8.12%2.63%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

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

NRG

Utilities industry group

0.97

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

WEC

Utilities industry group

0.53

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
WEC
0.53
Min
0.29
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

WEC Energy (WEC) at 1.54 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

WEC

Utilities industry group

1.54

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
WEC
1.54
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): 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 WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricNRGWEC
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.970.53
Debt / Equity (MRQ)4.831.54
Net Debt / EBITDA7.165.66

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both NRG Energy (NRG) at 2.32% and WEC Energy (WEC) at 3.17% 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%

WEC

Utilities industry group

3.17%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
WEC
3.17%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both NRG Energy (NRG) at 47.91% and WEC Energy (WEC) at 68.18% 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%

WEC

Utilities industry group

68.18%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
WEC
68.18%
Median
56.38%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricNRGWEC
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.32%3.17%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)47.91%68.18%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both NRG Energy (NRG) at 23.11 and WEC Energy (WEC) at 21.07 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

WEC

Utilities industry group

21.07

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
WEC
21.07
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): 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 WEC Energy (WEC) at 3.69 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

WEC

Utilities industry group

3.69

Max
6.35
WEC
3.69
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: WEC Energy (WEC) at 2.62 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and NRG Energy (NRG) at 4.42 prices even higher, above its industry range.

NRG

Utilities industry group

4.42

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

WEC

Utilities industry group

2.62

Max
3.12
WEC
2.62
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricNRGWEC
P/E Ratio (TTM)23.1121.07
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.563.69
P/B Ratio (MRQ)4.422.62
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)4.16%-5.16%