Reading the tape
NYSE: CNP
CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
Utilities · Regulated Electric
Market Cap
$27.29B
52w High
$44.47
52w Low
$35.46
P/E
25.44
Volume
2.83M
Outstanding Shares
654.17M
Price vs Fundamentals
Why The Stock Is Moving
Mixed / unclearLow confidence
1Y Price: 9.93%Revenue (TTM): 5.24%FCF (TTM): 0.85%P/E: 88th pct
What changed
The stock rose 9.93% over the last year. Revenue grew 5.24% over the trailing twelve months. Operating margin moved from 22.62% to 22.51%. Free cash flow grew 0.85% over the trailing twelve months.
What the market seems to be pricing
The stock has moved higher against modestly improving underlying metrics. The operating data does not yet tell a clear story — the move may reflect sentiment, sector rotation, or macro factors rather than company-specific earnings power.
What would invalidate this read
Operating margin currently stands at 22.51%. A decisive move in revenue — currently up 5.24% — would be the clearest signal to resolve the ambiguity.
Company profile
CenterPoint Energy, Inc. operates as a public utility holding company in the United States.
CEOChristopher A. Foster
SectorUtilities
IndustryRegulated Electric
Employees8,872
IPO dateJan 2, 1970
Valuation
Forward P/E—
EV/EBITDA13.22
Enterprise value$48.65B
Stock splits
Oct 1, 2002↑ Forward
Every 843 shares became 1000
Dec 11, 1995↑ Forward
Every 1 shares became 2
Jun 15, 1981↑ Forward
Every 2 shares became 3
May 20, 1963↑ Forward
Every 1 shares became 3
Profitability & growth
Revenue growth1.88%
Gross margin41.3%▼37.60%vs FY2024
Operating margin22.51%▼2.06%vs FY2024
ROE9.43%▼1.27%vs FY2024
Analyst consensus
RatingHold
Target price$43.67▲4.67%
12
Buy
17
Hold
1
Sell
Analyst ratings tend to be lagging indicators. Use as one signal among many.
Earnings
Full quarter-by-quarter history of actuals vs estimates. Switch into compare mode to inspect one metric year-over-year.
Next report
Jul 23, 2026
Q3 FY26 · EPS est $0.39 · Revenue est $2.04B
View
Dividends
$0.90/shareQuarterly4yr growth streakEx-div May 21, 2026 · in 10dAt RiskCNP pays a dividend with a 2.16% declared yield, 4 consecutive years of growth, growing at 3.53% annually, covered -4.2× by free cash flow.
Declared Yield
2.16%
Annual Div / Share
$0.90
5yr CAGR
+3.53%
Doubles every ~20.0yr
Payout Ratio
54.25%
At Risk
Dividend Growth Rate
3yr CAGR
+7.93%
5yr CAGR
+3.53%
10yr CAGR
-1.17%
Dividend Safety
4/10At Risk
Dividend History
Annual dividends paid per share
YearAnnual DivYoY
2025$0.88+8.6%
2024$0.81+5.2%
2023$0.77+10.0%
2022$0.70+7.7%
2021$0.65-12.2%
2020$0.74-35.7%
2019$1.15+3.6%
Income Projection
Invest
$
Growth rate:
Reinvest dividends
Today
$22/yr
$2/mo
In 5 yrs
$26/yr+19%
$2/mo
In 10 yrs
$31/yr+41%
$3/mo
| Today | In 5 yrs | In 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|
$22/yr $2/mo | $26/yr+19% $2/mo | $31/yr+41% $3/mo |
Yield-on-cost grows from 2.16% → 3.05% over 10yr
Analysis
Dividend Strengths
No strong strength signal stands out from the latest period pair.
Risks to Watch
Dividend exceeds free cash flow
Free cash flow covers only -4.15× the dividend. The company is paying out more than it generates in cash, which is unsustainable without borrowing or asset sales.