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NRG vs. WTRG: NRG Energy vs. Essential Utilities Stock Comparison

How do NRG Energy (NRG) and Essential Utilities (WTRG) 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 Essential Utilities (WTRG) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but NRG is classified in Electric Utilities while WTRG is classified in Water Utilities.

Company profile comparison for NRG Energy (NRG) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Profile ItemNRGWTRG
NameNRG Energy, Inc.Essential Utilities Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryElectric UtilitiesWater Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryElectric UtilitiesWater Utilities
Market Capitalization18.56 billion USD13.02 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateDecember 2, 2003March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

NRG
WTRG
GSPC
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG), 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 Essential Utilities (WTRG). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricNRGWTRG
Total Return (1Y)-43.14%19.07%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)31.18%13.95%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)25.79%2.39%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricNRGWTRG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)52.51%22.14%
Beta (5Y)1.200.61
Max Drawdown (5Y)-55.72%-36.53%
Avg. Volume (3M)3.15M2.38M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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NRG and WTRG 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 Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricNRGWTRG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.900.67
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-1.191.08

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

NRG Energy (NRG) at 23.77% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 8.13%, 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%

WTRG

Utilities industry group

8.13%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
WTRG
8.13%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 21.79% 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%

WTRG

Utilities industry group

21.79%

Max
28.78%
WTRG
21.79%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 38.94% carries a top-quartile operating margin, 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%

WTRG

Utilities industry group

38.94%

Max
53.83%
WTRG
38.94%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricNRGWTRG
ROE (TTM)23.77%8.13%
ROA (TTM)4.06%3.00%
Net Margin (TTM)2.56%21.79%
Operating Margin (TTM)12.77%38.94%
Gross Margin (TTM)18.80%57.07%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 18.62% 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 WTRG.

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

EPS Growth

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.38% 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. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricNRGWTRG
Revenue Growth (YoY)9.18%18.62%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.88%2.65%
EPS Growth (YoY)-19.64%1.38%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-8.12%7.52%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

NRG Energy (NRG) at 0.97 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 0.40 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for WTRG.

NRG

Utilities industry group

0.97

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

WTRG

Utilities industry group

0.40

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
WTRG
0.40
Min
0.29
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.23 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

WTRG

Utilities industry group

1.23

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
WTRG
1.23
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): 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 Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricNRGWTRG
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.970.40
Debt / Equity (MRQ)4.831.23
Net Debt / EBITDA7.166.30

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both NRG Energy (NRG) at 2.32% and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 3.01% 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%

WTRG

Utilities industry group

3.01%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
WTRG
3.01%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

NRG Energy (NRG) at 47.91% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 69.42% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

NRG

Utilities industry group

47.91%

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

WTRG

Utilities industry group

69.42%

Max
113.04%
WTRG
69.42%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricNRGWTRG
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.32%3.01%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)47.91%69.42%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both NRG Energy (NRG) at 23.11 and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 22.73 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

WTRG

Utilities industry group

22.73

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
WTRG
22.73
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): 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 Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 5.01 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

WTRG

Utilities industry group

5.01

Max
6.35
WTRG
5.01
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00
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NRG Energy (NRG) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.83 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

WTRG

Utilities industry group

1.83

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for NRG Energy (NRG) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricNRGWTRG
P/E Ratio (TTM)23.1122.73
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.565.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)4.421.83
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)4.16%-5.45%