Where it trades today
trading 12% of the way up its 52-week range
How the price has moved
What to weigh before acting
What Matters Now
- Rate sensitivity and regulatory visibility matter because the market tends to reward predictable cash generation here.
- CNP trades at 22.8x earnings, well above the utilities average of 16.0x, so the market is already pricing in above-consensus execution.
- CNP carries a beta of 0.45, which means the stock should be judged on how it affects total portfolio swings, not just on standalone upside.
- CNP remains in a bearish short-term trend and sits 15.6% below its high, which raises the bar for any thesis that depends on fast multiple expansion.
Portfolio Use Case
- CNP is more relevant for investors who want some income support alongside price appreciation, not just pure growth exposure.
- The beta profile suggests it can fit a quality or lower-volatility sleeve more naturally than a high-octane tactical basket.
- This page is most useful for deciding whether the stock deserves a permanent slot in the portfolio or just a place on the watchlist.
What Would Change the View
- A reset in earnings expectations or a faster peer catch-up could compress the premium valuation currently embedded in CNP.
- A recovery in price alone would not be enough to improve the view; the thesis needs confirmation from improving business or valuation signals.
- Volatility is already above the sector norm, so even a correct long-term thesis can be painful if the position size is too aggressive.
Methodology
- Price, market cap, beta, yield, and liquidity fields for CNP come from Yahoo Finance quote and summary data.
- 30-day volatility is calculated from recent daily returns and annualized using a 252-trading-day convention.
- Sector context uses stored benchmark averages for Utilities so each page compares the ticker against a stable peer baseline rather than against the whole market.
- Peer comparisons use the Portfolio Terminal coverage set and highlight nearby listed alternatives such as NEE, DUK, SO.
Sources
- Yahoo Finance quote dataopen →
Live quote, valuation, beta, yield, and volume fields used for CNP. Last refresh: Sep 18, 2026, 10:56 PM.
- Portfolio Terminal methodologyopen →
Explains how analytics, refresh cadence, and portfolio interpretation work across the product.
- Peer set and coverage context
Comparative context for this page is anchored around nearby tracked names such as NEE, DUK, SO.
What CenterPoint Energy does
CenterPoint Energy, Inc. operates as a public utility holding company in the United States. The company operates through Electric; Natural Gas; and Corporate and Other segments. The Electric segment provides electric transmission and distribution services to electric customers and electric generation assets, as well as optimizes assets in the wholesale power market in Indiana Electric's service territory. The Natural Gas segment engages in the intrastate natural gas sales, and natural gas transportation and distribution for residential, commercial, and industrial customers in Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio, and Texas; permanent pipeline connections through interconnects with various interstate…
Employees
8,794
Industry
Utilities - Regulated Electric
Headquarters
Houston, United States
What analysts expect
CNP is tracked by 16 analysts, with an average price target of $45.75 versus $38.22 today (+19.7%). Targets are estimates and can move quickly after earnings.
Consensus aggregated by Yahoo Finance. Targets are estimates, not forecasts.
How the business is doing
CNP generated $9.62B in trailing revenue (10.7% year over year), with a 11.6% net margin, and -$5.19B of free cash flow, against $24.19B of net debt.
The numbers, year by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Gross profit | Operating income | Net income | EPS | Free cash flow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $9.36B | $4.22B | $2.11B | $1.05B | $1.61 | -$2.38B |
| 2024 | $8.64B | $3.98B | $1.99B | $1.02B | $1.58 | -$2.37B |
| 2023 | $8.70B | $3.69B | $1.76B | $917.00M | $1.37 | -$524.00M |
| 2022 | $9.32B | $3.40B | $1.57B | $1.06B | $1.60 | -$2.61B |
When it reports next
Estimates aggregated by Yahoo Finance. Dates move and estimates change until the report lands.
How it sits in utilities
Stable, regulated sector providing electricity, gas, and water services.
The companies it competes with
CNP beside the utilities names it is usually measured against.
What the chart is saying
CenterPoint Energy trades at $38.22, 15.6% below its 52-week high. With a beta of 0.45, it shows less sensitivity to what the wider market does.
Questions people ask about it
Is CNP a good buy right now?
CenterPoint Energy trades at 22.8x earnings. This is near market average. Current risk level is Medium based on 18.5% volatility.
Does CNP pay dividends?
Yes, CenterPoint Energy offers a dividend yield of 2.49%. That is roughly $0.95 per share a year.
How volatile is CNP?
With 30-day annualized volatility of 18.5% and beta of 0.45, CNP is classified as Medium risk. The stock tends to be more stable than the market average.
What is the analyst price target for CNP?
The average analyst price target for CenterPoint Energy (CNP) is $45.75 based on 16 analyst estimates, about 19.7% above the current price of $38.22. The published range runs from $39.00 to $50.00.
How much revenue does CNP generate?
CenterPoint Energy reported $9.62B in trailing twelve-month revenue. Revenue growth is running at 10.7% year over year. Net margin sits at 11.6%. Figures are aggregated from company filings by Yahoo Finance and refresh on an hourly cadence.