Core Viewpoint - CenterPoint Energy has announced a settlement agreement for its 2026-2028 Systemwide Resiliency Plan (SRP), which is the largest grid resiliency investment in the company's history, aimed at reducing storm-related outages for its 2.8 million customers by nearly 1 billion minutes by 2029 [1][5][8] Investment and Financial Summary - The SRP involves a revised investment of over $3 billion in the electric distribution system, with more than $240 million in costs deferred until the second half of 2029 to minimize customer bill impacts [5][7] - The average residential customer will see an increase of approximately $1.40 per month from 2026 to 2028, with an additional $0.60 in 2030 [7][10] Resiliency Actions - The SRP will enhance the electric distribution system by implementing automation devices capable of self-healing, installing 130,000 stronger poles, and modernizing underground cables [8][14] - The plan builds on previous phases of the Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative (GHRI) and addresses various extreme weather threats, including hurricanes and flooding [2][4] Customer and Community Impact - The SRP is designed to benefit customers across a 12-county service area, particularly in higher-risk areas, and aims to meet the growing energy needs of the population, which is expected to increase by about 2% annually [11][12] - CenterPoint conducted extensive community engagement, including 30 meetings, to gather feedback for the SRP, ensuring it aligns with customer needs and priorities [12] Historical Context - CenterPoint Energy has been serving customers for over 150 years and currently serves approximately 7 million metered customers across multiple states, with total assets of about $44 billion as of March 31, 2025 [13]

Core Viewpoint - CenterPoint Energy is enhancing its grid resiliency and emergency preparedness ahead of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season through a series of significant improvements and community outreach efforts [1][3][4]. Group 1: Resiliency Improvements - CenterPoint has completed historic grid improvements as part of the Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative, including the installation of 26,000 stronger poles, 5,150 automated devices, clearing vegetation from 6,000 miles of power lines, undergrounding over 400 miles of power lines, and installing 100 weather stations for real-time monitoring [4]. - The company is leveraging AI and emerging technologies in collaboration with industry leaders to better predict and prepare for extreme weather impacts [4]. - CenterPoint has implemented sophisticated damage modeling and adopted new storm management software to enhance decision-making and efficiency during storm events [4]. Group 2: Community Engagement and Preparedness - CenterPoint held a 2025 emergency response exercise in coordination with public officials and emergency response managers to improve local cooperation and response efforts [2]. - The company is donating and installing over 20 backup generators for critical facilities across its 12-county service area to ensure essential services during emergencies [2][4]. - A series of community preparedness events and webinars are being hosted to provide updates on hurricane preparations and safety tips for customers [4]. Group 3: Company Overview - CenterPoint Energy, Inc. serves approximately 7 million metered customers across multiple states and has approximately $44 billion in assets as of March 31, 2025 [6]. - The company has been in operation for over 150 years and is headquartered in Houston, Texas [6].

Company Overview - CenterPoint Energy (CNP) is based in Houston and operates in the Utilities sector, with a year-to-date share price change of 16.96% [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.22 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 2.37%, which is lower than the Utility - Electric Power industry's yield of 3.27% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.56% [3] Dividend Performance - The annualized dividend of CenterPoint Energy is $0.88, reflecting an 8.6% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the last five years, the company has increased its dividend four times on a year-over-year basis, achieving an average annual increase of 8.25% [4] - The current payout ratio stands at 55%, indicating that the company pays out 55% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth Expectations - For the fiscal year, CenterPoint Energy anticipates solid earnings growth, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 projected at $1.75 per share, representing a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 8.02% [5] Investment Considerations - CenterPoint Energy is viewed as a compelling investment opportunity due to its attractive dividend and strong Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [7] - The company is positioned favorably compared to high-growth firms or tech start-ups, which typically do not offer dividends [6][7]

Core Insights - CenterPoint Energy has successfully restored power to approximately 152,000 customers, representing 90% of those affected by the recent severe storm, which featured wind gusts of 60-70 miles per hour [1][7] - The company has activated its Emergency Operations Center in anticipation of further severe weather, deploying additional resources and personnel to expedite power restoration for the remaining customers [2][8] - Safety remains a top priority for the company as it addresses downed power lines and damaged infrastructure, urging customers to maintain a safe distance from hazards [3][8] Company Actions - Over 1,300 personnel have been deployed to assess damage and restore power, including 143 vegetation crews [8] - The company is leveraging its smart grid technology to reroute power on unaffected lines while focusing on assessing the type of damage to the electric system [8] - CenterPoint Energy encourages customers to enroll in its Power Alert Service for real-time updates on outages and restoration efforts [5] Company Overview - CenterPoint Energy, Inc. serves approximately 7 million metered customers across multiple states, including Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio, and Texas, and is headquartered in Houston [6] - As of March 31, 2025, the company reported approximately $44 billion in assets and has been serving customers for over 150 years [6]

Core Insights - CenterPoint Energy has completed all key actions of the Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative (GHRI) Phase Two ahead of the 2025 hurricane season, demonstrating a commitment to enhancing energy infrastructure reliability [1][2][3] Group 1: GHRI Phase Two Achievements - Over the last 10 months, the company installed more than 26,000 stronger, storm-resilient poles and undergrounded over 400 miles of power lines [1][6] - The addition of 5,150 automation devices and the clearing of more than 6,000 miles of higher-risk vegetation are significant steps taken to improve grid resiliency [1][6] - The installation of 100 weather monitoring stations enhances situational awareness and storm preparation in the Greater Houston area [1][6] Group 2: Impact on Reliability - These resiliency actions are expected to reduce outages for customers by more than 125 million minutes annually [1][2] - The proactive measures taken by the company strengthen its ability to deliver reliable service to the Houston and Gulf Coast regions [4] Group 3: Future Plans - CenterPoint Energy plans to announce an updated approach for GHRI for the remainder of 2025 and beyond in early June [4][5] - The company emphasizes that it will continue to work on further improvements throughout the summer and the rest of the year [4]

Core Viewpoint - CenterPoint Energy is actively preparing for the 2025 hurricane season through a comprehensive emergency response exercise aimed at enhancing local cooperation and improving emergency preparedness and response plans [1][2][3]. Group 1: Emergency Preparedness Activities - The emergency simulation involves state and local officials, emergency management offices, and third-party evaluators to assess CenterPoint's response to major hurricanes [1][3]. - More than 200 CenterPoint employees and response partners are participating in the all-day exercise at the Emergency Operations Center [3]. - The exercise is part of a series of trainings and system-wide improvements under the Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative (GHRI) launched last year [3][4]. Group 2: Resiliency Improvements - Over the past 10 months, CenterPoint has implemented various resiliency actions to strengthen the energy system and mitigate the impact of outages during the hurricane season [4]. - The company is collaborating with industry-leading technology providers to leverage AI and emerging technologies for better weather impact predictions [7]. - CenterPoint is also donating and installing emergency generators at critical facilities and community centers to ensure essential services during emergencies [7]. Group 3: Company Overview - CenterPoint Energy, Inc. serves approximately 7 million metered customers across multiple states, with total assets of approximately $44 billion as of March 31, 2025 [5]. - The company has a workforce of around 8,300 employees and has been in operation for over 150 years [5].

Core Viewpoint - CenterPoint Energy Inc. (CNP) is positioned as a strong investment option in the Zacks Utility Electric Power industry due to its consistent infrastructure investments and expanding operations [1] Growth Forecast - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CNP's 2025 earnings per share (EPS) is $1.75, reflecting an 8% year-over-year growth [2] - For 2026, the EPS estimate is $1.88, indicating a year-over-year growth of 7.2% [2] - CNP's revenue for 2025 is estimated at $8.99 billion, representing a 4.1% increase from 2024 [3] - The 2026 revenue estimate is $9.36 billion, suggesting a 4% year-over-year increase [3] - The company's long-term earnings growth rate is projected at 7.8% over the next three to five years [3] Solvency - CenterPoint Energy's times interest earned (TIE) ratio was 2.3 at the end of Q1 2025, indicating the company can comfortably meet its interest payment obligations [4] Return to Shareholders - CNP has consistently increased shareholder value through dividends, currently paying a quarterly dividend of 22 cents per share, equating to an annualized dividend of 88 cents [5] - The current dividend yield stands at 2.35%, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 Composite average of 1.24% [5] - In Q1 2025, the company paid $143 million in dividends, up from $126 million in the previous year [5] Structured Investment Approach - CenterPoint Energy plans to invest $48.5 billion over the next 10 years, with $4.8 billion allocated for 2025 to enhance customer reliability and energy safety [6] - The company intends to invest over $3 billion in renewable energy generation and electric vehicle (EV) expansion as part of its 10-year capital expenditure strategy [7] - By 2026, CNP anticipates generating approximately 1,000 megawatts of power from wind and solar sources [7] Initiatives for the EV Market - CNP is making significant investments to create a smarter and cleaner ecosystem for EV drivers and fleet operators, focusing on off-road electrification [8] - The corporate fleet aims to electrify all cars and SUVs by 2030 as part of its net-zero emission plan, strengthening its position in the EV market [9] Stock Performance - Over the past three months, CNP shares have increased by 11.2%, outperforming the industry's growth of 4.8% [11]

Core Viewpoint - CenterPoint Energy (CNP) has experienced a bearish trend recently, losing 6.4% over the past week, but the formation of a hammer chart pattern suggests a potential trend reversal as buying interest may be increasing [1][2]. Technical Analysis - The hammer chart pattern indicates a possible bottoming out, with selling pressure likely subsiding, which supports a bullish outlook for the stock [2][5]. - A hammer pattern forms when there is a small candle body with a long lower wick, signaling that bears may be losing control and that a trend reversal could be imminent [4][5]. - Hammer candles can appear on various timeframes and are utilized by both short-term and long-term investors [5]. Fundamental Analysis - There has been a recent upward trend in earnings estimate revisions for CNP, which is a bullish indicator as it typically leads to price appreciation [7]. - The consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased by 0.1% over the last 30 days, indicating strong agreement among analysts regarding the company's improved earnings potential [8]. - CNP holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), placing it in the top 20% of over 4,000 ranked stocks, suggesting it is likely to outperform the market [9].

Industry Overview - The Zacks Utility – Electric Power industry focuses on generating and supplying electricity, with a shift towards clean fuel sources and carbon emission reduction supported by government initiatives [1] - Utilities are investing in grid strengthening and infrastructure to enhance resilience against annual hurricane challenges, minimizing outages and enabling faster power restoration [1] Industry Trends - Interest rates have declined, with the Federal Reserve cutting the benchmark rate by 100 basis points to a range of 4.25-4.50%, easing financial pressure on capital-intensive utilities [4] - The electric power sector is projected to generate 2% more electricity in 2025 compared to 2024, with an increase of approximately 100 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) [5] - The share of U.S. electricity generation from renewable sources is expected to rise from 23% in 2024 to 25% in 2025 and 27% in 2026, driven by solar and wind capacity additions [6] Company Highlights - Consolidated Edison Inc. plans to invest $38 billion from 2025-2029 and $68 billion over the next decade in energy infrastructure projects [16] - DTE Energy aims to spend $24 billion during the 2025-2029 period to strengthen its electric and natural gas operations [22] - CenterPoint Energy plans to invest $48.5 billion over the next 10 years to expand its operations [25] - Evergy targets nearly $17.5 billion in expected base capital investments through 2029, focusing on renewable generation [29] Financial Performance - The Utility Electric Power industry has gained 8.8% over the past 12 months, outperforming its sector's 6.3% rally [10] - The industry is currently trading at an EV/EBITDA of 14.64X, compared to the S&P 500's 16.56X and the Utility sector's 15.45X [13]

Core Insights - Ascendis Pharma announced new data from the ApproaCH Trial showing improvements in growth and bone morphometry in children with achondroplasia, highlighting the efficacy of TransCon CNP (navepegritide) [1][3][4] Group 1: Trial Details - The ApproaCH Trial was a double-blind placebo-controlled study involving 84 children aged 2-11 years, randomized in a 2:1 ratio for 52 weeks, followed by an open-label extension period [3] - At Week 52, TransCon CNP demonstrated superiority over placebo in annualized growth velocity (AGV) with a safety profile comparable to placebo, including low rates of injection site reactions and no serious adverse events [3] Group 2: Bone Morphometry Improvements - TransCon CNP showed significant improvements in bone morphometry at Week 52, including better lower limb alignment, proportional growth, and increased spinal canal dimensions compared to placebo [4] Group 3: Company Vision and Future Goals - The company aims to deliver benefits beyond linear growth for children with achondroplasia and is committed to understanding how altering the trajectory of skeletal dysplasia could reduce future complications associated with the condition [5] - Ascendis Pharma focuses on applying its innovative TransCon technology platform to develop new therapies that address unmet medical needs, with a commitment to patient care and scientific advancement [7]