Risk Intelligence
Core Model
C−
58 / 100
Fundamentally Qualified
How strong and defensively sound is the company?
Around the middle of the covered universe.
Suggestions
NRG · NYSE
NRG ENERGY INC
Private betaSector unavailable · Industry unavailable
$113.46
+1.62%
Close on Sep 11, 2026
Defensively Qualified
Updated 6/30/2026
Long-term research evidence only. No price targets, no trading signals, no recommendations.
Investment Report Card
NRG ENERGY INC
Sector unavailable · Data confidence good
24 / 100
Rank #662 of 1,152 qualified companies
Top 96% · Not Currently Suggested
Long-Term Potential
Research Model
D
42 / 100
Weak Compounder
Does the business have the characteristics needed to create value over many years?
Weaker than most covered companies on this measure.
Fundamental Momentum
Research Model
D
47 / 100
Accelerating
Is the underlying business getting stronger or weaker?
Weaker than most covered companies on this measure.
Ownership Intelligence
Supplemental Intelligence
D
48 / 100
Positive disclosed activity
What are important owners actually doing?
Weaker than most covered companies on this measure.
Valuation Intelligence
Research Model
D
42 / 100
Elevated
Is today's price reasonable?
Weaker than most covered companies on this measure — and valuation is researched separately from the Suggested Investment Score.
Capital Returns Intelligence
Research Model
D
42 / 100
Limited Capital Returns
How effectively does the company reward shareholders?
Weaker than most covered companies on this measure — and capital returns are researched separately from the Suggested Investment Score.
Why it stands out
- Business Quality meets the frozen IA Defensive qualification.
- More disclosed holders are new or increasing than reducing or exiting.
What holds it back
- Elevated valuation: the current market price reflects a premium to this company's historical valuation and comparable companies (Valuation Intelligence 42 out of 100, Elevated).
Long-term view
NRG ENERGY INC scores 42 on Long-Term Potential (D), described by the research model as weak compounder. This describes business characteristics only — it is not a forecast of future returns.
Ownership view
Disclosed ownership evidence reads 48 (D): Positive disclosed activity. 2 tracked managers disclosed a position in the latest reporting period. Ownership filings are historical disclosures, not signals.
Valuation view
NRG ENERGY INC reads 42 out of 100 on Valuation Intelligence, recorded as Elevated. The stock currently trades above most of its own recent valuation history and above comparable companies. This describes the price being paid relative to the company's financials — it is not a forecast and not a fair value. Valuation Intelligence is a research model and contributes nothing to the Suggested Investment Score or the daily ranking.
Capital returns view
NRG ENERGY INC reads 42 out of 100 on Capital Returns Intelligence (Limited Capital Returns), reflecting a dividend that has grown about 11.7% a year and a share count falling about 2.9% a year. Capital Returns Intelligence is a research model and contributes nothing to the Suggested Investment Score or the daily ranking.
What changed
No meaningful recorded changes in the stored history.
Risk Intelligence is a core model, Long-Term Potential, Fundamental Momentum, Valuation Intelligence and Capital Returns Intelligence are research models, and Ownership Intelligence is supplemental descriptive evidence. Valuation Intelligence and Capital Returns Intelligence each contribute 0% to the Suggested Investment Score. Nothing here is a recommendation.
Compare NRG with other companiesResearch Collections
This company does not currently satisfy any collection rule. That is a stored research result, not a judgement about the business.
Browse collectionsAbout a minute to read
The 60-Second Investment Brief
Written from stored research readings only. No hype. No trading signals. Just better evidence.
Why it's interesting
NRG ENERGY INC (NRG) scores 24 out of 100 and ranks #662 of 1,152 qualified companies today. That places it in the top 96% of ranked companies. The stored tier for that score is not currently suggested.
Business strength
Risk Intelligence reads 58 out of 100 (C−), recorded as fundamentally qualified. Around the middle of the covered universe.
Long-term opportunity
Long-Term Potential reads 42 out of 100 (D), recorded as weak compounder. Weaker than most covered companies on this measure.
What's improving or weakening
Fundamental Momentum reads 47 out of 100 (D), recorded as accelerating. Weaker than most covered companies on this measure.
What important owners are doing
Ownership Intelligence reads 48 out of 100 (D), recorded as positive disclosed activity. Weaker than most covered companies on this measure.
What kind of price you'd be paying
Valuation is currently the main point of caution: Valuation Intelligence reads 42 out of 100 (D), recorded as Elevated. NRG ENERGY INC reads 42 out of 100 on Valuation Intelligence, recorded as Elevated. The stock currently trades above most of its own recent valuation history and above comparable companies. This describes the price being paid relative to the company's financials — it is not a forecast and not a fair value. Valuation Intelligence is a research model and contributes nothing to the Suggested Investment Score or the daily ranking.
How the company rewards shareholders
Capital Returns Intelligence reads 42 out of 100 (D), recorded as Limited Capital Returns. NRG ENERGY INC reads 42 out of 100 on Capital Returns Intelligence (Limited Capital Returns), reflecting a dividend that has grown about 11.7% a year and a share count falling about 2.9% a year. Capital Returns Intelligence is a research model and contributes nothing to the Suggested Investment Score or the daily ranking.
What could go wrong
Elevated valuation: the current market price reflects a premium to this company's historical valuation and comparable companies (Valuation Intelligence 42 out of 100, Elevated). Data confidence for this company is good.
Bottom line
No individual layer reaches the strongest band today. Risk Intelligence and Long-Term Potential and Fundamental Momentum and Ownership Intelligence remain the main area to watch. Separately from the score, valuation reads elevated at today's price.
Composite discovery model
Pro Investor Score
Pro Investor Score™
24 / 100
Not Currently Suggested
A 0–100 composite discovery score combining Risk Intelligence, Long-Term Potential, Fundamental Momentum, and Ownership Intelligence. It helps rank qualified companies for further research and does not predict future returns.
- Rank
- #662 of 694
- Percentile
- Top 96%
- Ranking updated
- September 12, 2026
372Rank weakened by 372 positions. Rank weakened by 372 positions.
- Risk Intelligence
- 58
- Long-Term Potential
- 42
- Fundamental Momentum
- 47
- Ownership Intelligence
- 48
30% contribution
30% contribution
20% contribution
20% contribution
Ownership Intelligence
48 / 100 · Mixed · 20% of the Pro Investor Score
SUPPLEMENTAL / DESCRIPTIVE INTELLIGENCE
Coverage: Good
- Elite Investor Activity
- 33 · Weak
- Institutional Activity
- 83 · Strong
- Insider Activity
- Insufficient Data
- Strategic Ownership
- Insufficient Data
50% of Ownership Intelligence · 10% of the total score
Tracked professional-manager activity is weak.
20% of Ownership Intelligence · 4% of the total score
Broad institutional evidence from resolved filings is strong.
15% of Ownership Intelligence · 3% of the total score
No discretionary insider transactions are stored for this company, so this evidence is unavailable rather than neutral.
15% of Ownership Intelligence · 3% of the total score
No qualifying major-holder filings are stored, so this evidence is unavailable rather than neutral.
Ownership Intelligence summarizes publicly disclosed activity among professional investment managers, broader institutions, company insiders, and significant strategic owners. It adds context to investment research but is not a validated predictor of future performance. Ownership information is publicly reported with a delay; the latest applicable reporting period is 2026-06-30, publicly disclosed 9/11/2026. Congressional activity is unavailable pending legal review and contributes nothing to this reading.
Why it ranks here
No component ranks in the top quartile of the qualified universe.
What holds it back
Risk Intelligence is less favourable
Defensive characteristics rank below the middle of the qualified universe.
Long-term potential is mid-pack
Long-Term Potential ranks below the qualified median. This remains a research model.
Fundamental Momentum is softer
Reported business trends rank below the qualified median.
Ownership evidence is not uniformly supportive
Disclosed elite investor activity evidence is weak or neutral. Ownership evidence is supplemental and never automatically positive.
Ownership evidence disagrees
Different owner groups point in different directions, so the combined reading is best read as mixed rather than uniformly favourable.
COMPOSITE DISCOVERY MODEL — RESEARCH STAGE · Data coverage Excellent. Rankings are recalculated daily using the latest available information. Individual components may update at different frequencies based on when new financial and ownership data becomes available.
Researched separately
Valuation Intelligence 42 · Elevated
RESEARCH MODEL
Valuation Intelligence is currently researched separately and does not affect the Suggested Investment Score or daily ranking.
Researched separately
Capital Returns Intelligence 42 · Limited Capital Returns
RESEARCH MODEL
Capital Returns Intelligence is researched separately and contributes 0% to the Suggested Investment Score, the daily rank or any ranking event.
Score explanation
Why this company scores the way it does
Four research areas carry fixed weights. Each area is compared against every other eligible company, then weighted. The four contributions below add to 23.8 of the stored score (23.8).
Risk Intelligence
30% of the score · contributes 7.5 points
How strong and defensively sound is the company?
Stands at the 25 percentile of eligible companies · stored reading 58 · 32% of this company’s total score
How financially sturdy the company has been when conditions turned against it.
How this area is measured
Risk Intelligence reads stored balance-sheet strength, historical downside behaviour and the company's price-risk grouping. A stronger reading describes past resilience; it does not protect against future losses.
Full methodologyLong-Term Potential
30% of the score · contributes 6.0 points
Does the business have the characteristics needed to create value over many years?
Stands at the 20 percentile of eligible companies · stored reading 42 · 25% of this company’s total score
Whether the business has the durable characteristics long-term owners look for.
How this area is measured
Long-Term Potential reads durability characteristics such as profitability consistency, cash generation and reinvestment capability over multiple reported periods.
Full methodologyFundamental Momentum
20% of the score · contributes 8.4 points
Is the underlying business getting stronger or weaker?
Stands at the 42 percentile of eligible companies · stored reading 47 · 35% of this company’s total score
Whether the reported business results have been getting stronger or weaker.
How this area is measured
Fundamental Momentum compares recent reported fundamentals with the company's own earlier periods, so improvement or deterioration is measured against its history rather than against a forecast.
Full methodologyOwnership Intelligence
20% of the score · contributes 1.9 points
What are important owners actually doing?
Stands at the 9 percentile of eligible companies · stored reading 48 · 8% of this company’s total score
What large reporting owners have actually been doing with their positions.
How this area is measured
Ownership Intelligence reads public ownership filings: how many tracked reporting owners hold the company, and whether they were adding, holding, reducing or exiting in the latest disclosed period.
Full methodology
What is helping the score
No research area currently stands in the stronger half of eligible companies.
What deserves attention
- Ownership Intelligence — 9 percentile, adding only 1.9 of a possible 20 points.
- Long-Term Potential — 20 percentile, adding only 6.0 of a possible 30 points.
- Risk Intelligence — 25 percentile, adding only 7.5 of a possible 30 points.
- Fundamental Momentum — 42 percentile, adding only 8.4 of a possible 20 points.
Outside the score
Additional research — not currently included in the primary Suggested Investment Score.
- Valuation Intelligence — NRG ENERGY INC reads 42 out of 100 on Valuation Intelligence, recorded as Elevated. The stock currently trades above most of its own recent valuation history and above comparable companies. This describes the price being paid relative to the company's financials — it is not a forecast and not a fair value.
- Capital Returns Intelligence — NRG ENERGY INC reads 42 out of 100 on Capital Returns Intelligence (Limited Capital Returns), reflecting a dividend that has grown about 11.7% a year and a share count falling about 2.9% a year.
Pro Investor Intelligence™
Reported by insiders, large shareholders and professional funds. Shown beside our research, never blended into it.
Loading professional-investor activity…
Stored snapshots only
What changed
Research-score history available since September 2026.
Stored research history does not yet cover a full 30 days comparison for this company.
A change is reported as meaningful at 8 score points, 5 rank places, or any change of research classification. Nothing here is a recommendation to buy or sell.
Learn the metrics on this page
Plain-English definitions, with the formula and the limitations of each measure.
Fifth research lens · outside the score
Valuation Intelligence
Valuation Intelligence
Is today's price reasonable?
Valuation Intelligence is currently researched separately and does not affect the Suggested Investment Score or daily ranking.
42/ 100
Elevated
RESEARCH MODEL
Excellent coverage
Compared with its history
26
Expensive
Is this company expensive or inexpensive compared with its own history?
Compared with peers
39
Elevated
How expensive is this stock compared with similar companies?
Earnings & cash flow
43
Elevated
How much financial output does an investor receive relative to the price paid?
Growth-adjusted
70
Attractive
Does the company's growth help justify the valuation investors are paying?
NRG ENERGY INC reads 42 out of 100 on Valuation Intelligence, recorded as Elevated. The stock currently trades above most of its own recent valuation history and above comparable companies. This describes the price being paid relative to the company's financials — it is not a forecast and not a fair value.
Price data through September 11, 2026 · Financial data through the quarter ended June 30, 2026
Valuation history
Stored readings only. The dashed line is this company's own median for the selected measure.
Only one stored valuation reading exists so far, so there is nothing to chart yet. Valuation history builds forward from activation rather than being reconstructed.
Current P/E 28.1x · own median 9.6x · peer median 20.6x
Valuation is inherently uncertain. A stock that appears inexpensive can continue falling, and a stock that appears expensive can continue rising. Valuation Intelligence provides context about the price investors are paying — it does not predict short-term market movements, and it never produces a fair value, a price target or a buy or sell range. Model VALUATION_INTELLIGENCE_V1.
Sixth research lens · outside the score
Capital Returns Intelligence
Capital Returns Intelligence
How effectively does the company reward shareholders?
Capital Returns Intelligence is researched separately and contributes 0% to the Suggested Investment Score, the daily rank or any ranking event.
42/ 100
Limited Capital Returns
RESEARCH MODEL
Excellent coverage
Dividend Quality
62
Favorable Capital Returns
Dividend reliability
Buyback Effectiveness
5
Limited Capital Returns
Do buybacks actually reduce shares?
Dilution Control
76
Strong Capital Returns
Is your ownership share protected?
Capital Return Sustainability
10
Limited Capital Returns
Can the cash flow support it?
Shareholder Yield
75
Strong Capital Returns
Cash returned versus company value
NRG ENERGY INC reads 42 out of 100 on Capital Returns Intelligence (Limited Capital Returns), reflecting a dividend that has grown about 11.7% a year and a share count falling about 2.9% a year.
How returned cash was used
Dividends $439.00M · net repurchases $1.75B · total returned $2.19B · 630% of free cash flow
Price data through September 11, 2026 · Financial data through the quarter ended June 30, 2026
Capital returns history
Stored readings only. History builds forward from activation rather than being reconstructed.
Only one stored reading exists for this measure so far, so there is nothing to chart yet.
Why higher yield isn't always better
A very high dividend yield may reflect a falling share price or an unsustainable payout. Capital Returns Intelligence emphasizes consistency and sustainability rather than simply rewarding the highest yield.
Why buybacks can be misleading
Announced or gross buyback spending does not always mean shareholders are gaining ownership. Companies can simultaneously issue shares through employee compensation or acquisitions. Suggested Investments therefore considers actual share-count changes alongside repurchase spending.
What these terms mean
- Dividend Yield
- The annual dividend relative to the current share price.
- Payout Ratio
- The share of company earnings used to pay dividends.
- Free Cash Flow Payout
- How much of the company's available cash is being used for dividends.
- Share Repurchases
- When a company buys back its own stock.
- Dilution
- When the number of shares increases, reducing each existing share's percentage ownership of the company.
- Shareholder Yield
- A combined view of dividends and net share repurchases relative to the company's market value.
Capital Returns Intelligence describes how a company returns capital to shareholders. It is not a measure of stock-price performance, it does not predict future returns, and a strong reading is never a recommendation to buy. Dividends and repurchases can be reduced or stopped at any time. Model CAPITAL_RETURNS_INTELLIGENCE_V1, contributing 0% to the Pro Investor Score.
Stored daily snapshots only
Ranking history
| Today | #662 | Score 24 |
|---|---|---|
| 30 days ago | Not ranked | No stored score |
| 90 days ago | Not ranked | No stored score |
| First suggested | Not yet suggested | |
| Highest rank | #662 | |
In the company’s own words
What this company does
NRG Energy, Inc., or NRG or the Company, serves electricity, natural gas, and smart-home technology solutions to approximately 8 million residential customers (comprised of 6 million retail energy and 2 million smart home), in addition to large commercial and industrial, data center, and wholesale customers. Across North America, NRG is redefining customers’ experience with energy under brand names such as NRG, Reliant, Direct Energy, Green Mountain Energy, and Vivint. As of December 31, 2025, the Company’s core power and natural gas business consists of approximately 12 GW of competitive power generation, primarily in Texas, and a natural gas portfolio that serves approximately 1,900 MMDth annually.
NRG sold 154 TWhs of electricity and 1,857 MMDth of natural gas in 2025, making it one of the largest competitive energy retailers in the U.S. As of the end of 2025, NRG had recurring electricity and/or natural gas sales in 25 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and 8 provinces in Canada, and Vivint Smart Home served customers in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. NRG's retail brands, collectively, have the largest share of competitively served residential electric customers in Texas and is a leading business-to-business provider of power and natural gas in North America.
On January 30, 2026, NRG completed the acquisition of the LSP Portfolio, pursuant to the Purchase and Sale Agreement (the "Purchase Agreement") dated as of May 12, 2025. The LSP Portfolio includes 18 natural gas-fired and dual fuel facilities totaling approximately 13 GW of capacity, located across nine states, as well as CPower, a leading demand response platform.
NRG's strategy is to maximize shareholder value by delivering integrated energy and smart home solutions, supported by an owned generation fleet and a diversified supply strategy. The Company generates power and sells electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial, and wholesale customers in the markets it serves. The Company also provides smart home security and automation services that deepen customer relationships and support long-term engagement. NRG operates a customer-first platform that promotes reliability and affordability amid rapid transformation in the energy sector. The Company is advancing opportunities to meet growing demand, including from data centers, other large load customers, and electrification. This includes (i) demand response and virtual power plants ("VPP"), which help manage costs and improve affordability for customers, (ii) completing the Texas Development Projects, (iii) long-term, contract-backed generation and related infrastructure, supported by strategic partnerships with equipment manufacturers and engineering, procurement, and construction companies, and (iv) increasing capacity at existing facilities. The Company’s differentiated model is built to meet North America’s evolving needs while delivering affordable, reliable solutions for customers and long-term growth for shareholders. This strategy is intended to generate recurring cash flow, strengthen earnings and cost competitiveness, and reduce risk and volatility.
Quoted from the business section of this company’s 10-K filed February 24, 2026. Read the filing
Four distinct intelligence areas
The IA view
Risk Intelligence
Production core
58
Fundamentally Qualified
-6.7 vs Jun 30, 2026
Business Quality qualification score from the locked IA Defensive Research Core. Price Risk stays a separate category and is never blended in.
As of Sep 11, 2026
Long-Term Potential
Research model
42
Weak Compounder
+14 vs Jun 30, 2026
Durable business economics and reinvestment characteristics. Independent external validation is pending.
As of Sep 11, 2026
Fundamental Momentum
Research model
47
Middle
-31.6 vs Jun 30, 2026
Direction and breadth of change in underlying business fundamentals. Not a price-momentum signal.
As of Sep 11, 2026
Elite Investor Activity
Supplemental
33
Lower range
-66.7 vs Sep 30, 2024
Too few tracked managers disclosed a position to describe consensus.
As of Dec 31, 2024
Company intelligence
NRG score history
Each area is measured and reported separately. No combined score exists.
NRG intelligence history from 2023-09-30 to 2026-09-11. Risk Intelligence 57.7 on 2026-09-11, down 6.7 from 64.4 on 2026-06-30. Long-Term Potential 41.5 on 2026-09-11, up 14 from 27.5 on 2026-06-30. Fundamental Momentum 47 on 2026-09-11, down 31.6 from 78.6 on 2026-06-30. Elite Investor Activity 33.3 on 2024-12-31, down 66.7 from 100 on 2024-09-30. Each area is reported separately and is never combined into a single score.
Risk Intelligence 57.7 as of Sep 11, 2026 (-6.7 vs prior period) · Production core
Long-Term Potential 41.5 as of Sep 11, 2026 (+14 vs prior period) · Research model
Fundamental Momentum 47 as of Sep 11, 2026 (-31.6 vs prior period) · Research model
Elite Investor Activity 33.3 as of Dec 31, 2024 (-66.7 vs prior period) · Supplemental
Share price
NRG price history
Closing prices adjusted for splits and dividends. Past prices do not indicate future results.
- 6M change
- -24.9%
- 1Y change
- -27.3%
- 3Y change
- +209.4%
- 5Y change
- +200.7%
- Max change
- +253.9%
Last stored close $113.46 · -27.3% over the selected range · 52 sessions shown
Balanced evidence
Why IA likes it
- Business Quality meets the frozen IA Defensive qualification.
- More disclosed holders are new or increasing than reducing or exiting.
Risk and uncertainty
What IA doesn’t like
- No specific negative evidence is available. This is not evidence of low risk.
What would change our view
- Business Quality falling below the frozen qualification threshold.
- Price Risk moving to a less favorable category.
- A sustained reversal in the Fundamental Momentum research evidence.
- New material public ownership disclosures.
Public filings · descriptive only
Elite Investor Activity
Reporting holders
1
New holders
1
Increasing
0
Reducing
0
Exiting
0
Coverage
Excellent
Positive disclosed activity · Report period 2016-12-31 · Public 12/22/2023
| Manager | Change | Portfolio weight | Rank | Disclosed |
|---|
Insufficient high-confidence manager coverage.
Objective stored changes
What changed
- Risk Intelligence
IA Defensive improved
Business Quality qualification score moved from 64.4 to 66.7.
- Risk Intelligence
Price Risk category changed
Price Risk moved from Not Available to Higher risk.
- Long-Term Potential
IA Compounder strengthened
IA Compounder research score moved from 27.5 to 31.7.
- Fundamental Momentum
Fundamental Momentum softened
Fundamental Momentum research score moved from 78.6 to 45.7.
- Risk Intelligence
IA Defensive weakened
Business Quality qualification score moved from 69.2 to 64.4.
- Long-Term Potential
IA Compounder softened
IA Compounder research score moved from 31.9 to 27.5.
- Fundamental Momentum
Fundamental Momentum improved
Fundamental Momentum research score moved from 39.7 to 78.6.
- Elite Investor Activity
Elite Investor Consensus weakened
Disclosed agreement among tracked managers moved from 100 to 33 for the reporting period ending 2024-12-31.
- Elite Investor Activity
Tracked managers exited positions
2 tracked managers no longer disclosed a position for the reporting period ending 2024-12-31.
- Elite Investor Activity
Tracked managers initiated positions
3 tracked managers first disclosed a position for the reporting period ending 2024-09-30.
Ownership timeline
No high-confidence public ownership events are available.
General research only. Not personalized advice. Public filings may be delayed, amended, incomplete, or reflect positions that have changed since the reporting date.