COMPARE · Data as of August 21, 2026
FE vs NRG
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. FE scored 62.1, NRG scored 60.9 — FE leads.
Compare another set
Different reporting periods. NRG's fundamentals are as of June 2026, but FE's are as of March 2026 — a 3-month gap. Growth, margin and valuation figures below therefore describe different windows and aren't strictly like-for-like.
FE
FirstEnergy Corp.
62.1
$45.96 · $26.6B
fundamentals as of
Score gap
1.2
FE leads
NRG
NRG Energy, Inc.
60.9
$113.11 · $23.8B
fundamentals as of
At a glance · who leads each dimension, on the model's own rules
- Fastest growthNRG+12.4%
- Strongest balance sheetFE2.01
- Highest qualityFE55 / 100
Side by side · every name on one set of axes
The model, pillar by pillar (0–100 each)
FE
stronger →← stronger
NRG
55
Qualityreturns · margins · balance sheet
45
82
Growthrevenue & earnings expansion
77
53
Valuevaluation vs sector peers
65
FE is stronger on 2 of 3 pillars.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
FE
NRG
-$1.7bF
FCF
$348mC
+11.3%B
Rev
+12.4%B+
2.01C
D/E
4.83D
1.7xA-
P/S
—
1.68C+
PEG
0.58A-
—
P/E
29.5xC
Winner per row is the stronger grade; where grades tie, the better figure breaks it. A true tie or a missing value shows no highlight.
Valuation · DCF cross-check
FE
NRG
—
Price vs fair valuelower is cheaper
239% above
—
Growth the price implies10-yr FCF · lower = less priced in
~48%/yr
—
1-yr DCF upside
-77%
—
5-yr DCF upside
-70%
—
10-yr DCF upside
-56%
The DCF is a cross-check on intrinsic value, separate from the quality-growth score above.
Model signals
FE
Why this score
- Durable high returns
NRG
Why this score
- Raising its dividend
- Diluting shareholders
The companies
FEFirstEnergy Corp.
Why now
Utilities - Regulated Electric · market cap $26.6b. 12% off the 52-week high of $52.34. Revenue growing +11%, comfortably above the S&P median. 12 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $53.25 (implying +16% upside).
Moat
Higher-variance name — the moat signals on the quantitative card are modest, so the durability case rests on execution (turning current growth into durable earnings power) or an un-monetized asset (IP / network effects / first-mover position) rather than an entrenched competitive position.
Risk
D/E 2.01 is elevated — limits strategic flexibility and raises refinancing exposure if rates stay higher for longer. Free cash flow is negative (-$1.7b) — capital raises or debt issuance likely required; dilution / leverage risk. Trailing P/E 97.8x prices in sustained high growth — any quarter that disappoints triggers sharp re-rating.
NRGNRG Energy, Inc.
Why now
Utilities - Independent Power Producers · market cap $23.8b. Down 40% from 52-week high of $189.96 — deep drawdown territory. Revenue growing +12%, comfortably above the S&P median. PEG 0.58 — paying under fair value for the growth rate. 16 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $188.75 (implying +67% upside).
Moat
ROE 17% sits above Buffett's preferred 15% threshold — the equity base is compounding at a rate the market struggles to discount accurately.
Risk
D/E 4.83 is elevated — limits strategic flexibility and raises refinancing exposure if rates stay higher for longer. Down 40% from the 52-week high — the market is pricing in something the screen can't see; verify the bear case before sizing up. Net margin 2.6% is thin — operating leverage cuts both ways; input-cost inflation or pricing pressure hits the bottom line first.
Verdict — model-derived comparison
Generating verdict… typically 5–10 seconds
Not investment advice. The Bull Rankings publishes a quantitative ranking model and accompanying analysis for general informational purposes only. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security; nothing is personalized to your circumstances, risk tolerance, or tax situation. Investing carries the risk of loss — invest at your own risk and consider consulting a licensed financial professional before acting on anything you read here. See terms and methodology for full disclosures.
Where FE and NRG diverge
On the headline score the gap is 1.2 points in favor of FE. They get there differently, though — each leads on a different pillar, so the better pick depends on which you weight.
- ValueFE 53.1 · NRG 65.1NRG +12.0
- QualityFE 55.3 · NRG 44.9FE +10.4
- GrowthFE 81.6 · NRG 77.2FE +4.4
Pillars run 0–100 against sector peers, so a score is a statement about a company relative to its own industry rather than to the other name here. A wide Value gap usually means the market already prices the difference in quality or growth — which is the trade-off this comparison comes down to.