For those looking to find strong Utilities stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Has CenterPoint Energy (CNP) been one of those stocks this year? By taking a look at the stock's year-to-date performance in comparison to its Utilities peers, we might be able to answer that question.CenterPoint Energy is one of 109 individual stocks in the Utilities sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #1 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank considers ...

Group 1 - CenterPoint Energy, Inc. has scheduled a conference call for July 24, 2025, at 7:00 a.m. Central time to discuss its Second Quarter results [1] - Earnings for the Second Quarter will be released on the same day before the market opens [1] - A live audio webcast of the conference call will be available on CenterPoint Energy's website, and it will be archived for at least one year [1]

Core Insights - The article discusses the author's academic and professional background in Machine Learning, Economics, and Finance, highlighting affiliations with prestigious institutions and experience in financial advisory, particularly in banking and mergers & acquisitions [1]. Group 1 - The author holds a PhD in Machine Learning with a focus on Economics and Finance [1]. - The author has academic affiliations with IESE Business School, ESADE Business School, and the Barcelona Supercomputing Center [1]. - The professional experience includes working at Deloitte Financial Advisory, specializing in banking and mergers & acquisitions [1]. Group 2 - The author's interests include machine learning and generative AI applications in finance and economics [1]. - The author is proficient in programming languages such as Python, R, and SQL [1].

Core Insights - CenterPoint Energy is committed to building the most resilient coastal grid in the U.S. and has hosted its first Technology Summit to collaborate with global leaders in AI and advanced technologies to enhance storm preparedness and emergency response [1][2] Group 1: Technology Partnerships - CenterPoint Energy has formed strategic relationships with seven global technology leaders, including Climavision, Convey, Neara, Palantir, Pano AI, Technosylva, and Urbint, to improve operations and emergency response capabilities [1][3] - These partnerships aim to leverage innovations in AI and machine learning to better prepare for powerful hurricanes and storms, enhancing overall service reliability for customers [2][3] Group 2: Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative (GHRI) - The GHRI, launched in August 2024, focuses on improving resiliency, communication, and partnerships, with the first two phases completed ahead of schedule before the 2025 hurricane season [3][4] - Key actions taken include targeting critical system upgrades, improving situational awareness, and enhancing emergency response capabilities [4][5] Group 3: Specific Actions and Improvements - CenterPoint has installed over 26,000 stronger, storm-resilient poles and added more than 5,150 automation devices to improve restoration times [5] - The company has cleared over 6,000 miles of higher-risk vegetation and undergrounded more than 400 miles of power lines to enhance overall resiliency [5] - Additionally, CenterPoint has installed over 100 weather stations to improve situational awareness and donated 21 backup generators to critical facilities [5] Group 4: Technology Utilization - Neara and Technosylva are assisting CenterPoint in planning targeted resiliency actions against extreme weather [4] - Climavision and Pano AI are enhancing real-time weather monitoring and AI forecasting to better predict weather risks [4] - Technologies from Palantir and Urbint are being utilized to connect data across assets for more effective storm response and emergency crew deployment [4]

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 Projection - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CNP's 2026 earnings per share (EPS) has increased by 0.5% to $1.88 over the past 60 days [2] - The revenue estimate for CNP in 2025 is projected at $9.05 billion, reflecting a growth of 4.7% from the reported figure in 2024 [2] - The company's long-term earnings growth rate is estimated at 7.8% over the next three to five years [2] Dividend History - CNP has been consistently increasing shareholder value through dividends, currently paying a quarterly dividend of 22 cents per share, leading to an annualized dividend of 88 cents [3] - The current dividend yield stands at 2.48%, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 Composite average of 1.24% [3] - In the first quarter of 2025, CNP paid $143 million in dividends, up from $126 million in the same period the previous year [3] Solvency - CNP's times interest earned (TIE) ratio at the end of the first quarter of 2025 was 2.3, indicating the company can comfortably meet its interest payment obligations in the near term [4] Strategic Investment Framework - CNP plans to invest $48.5 billion in capital expenditures over the next 10 years, with a target of $4.8 billion in 2025 [5] - These investments are aimed at enhancing customer dependability and providing safe, resilient energy [5] Renewable Energy and EV Expansion - As part of its 10-year capital expenditure strategy, CNP intends to invest over $3 billion in renewable energy generation and electric vehicle (EV) expansion, targeting around 1,000 megawatts of power from wind and solar by 2026 [6][8] - The company is also focusing on developing a smarter, cleaner ecosystem for EV drivers and fleet operators, including investments in off-road electrification [7] Stock Performance - CNP stock has increased by 10.8% over the past six months, outperforming the industry's growth of 5.7% [10]

Core Viewpoint - CenterPoint Energy is deploying 15 large temporary emergency generation units to San Antonio to address energy needs and reduce costs for Houston-area customers [2][7]. Group 1: Deployment and Impact - The first five of the 15 emergency generation units have begun leaving the Greater Houston area for San Antonio, with the deployment occurring in three waves over the next two months [1][2]. - The units will provide critical generation capacity, each capable of powering approximately 30,000 homes, to mitigate the risk of power generation shortfalls in San Antonio this summer and next [8]. - The cost of these units will be excluded from the monthly bills of Houston-area customers, resulting in an estimated savings of $2 per month by 2027 for the average customer using 1,000 kWh/month [2][8]. Group 2: Collaboration and Agreements - The deployment is part of a collaborative effort involving ERCOT, elected leaders, regulators, and industry partners, culminating in agreements finalized in early June [4][8]. - CenterPoint Energy will not receive any revenue or profit from the operation of these 15 units, emphasizing the company's commitment to addressing Texas' energy needs [8]. Group 3: Company Overview - CenterPoint Energy, headquartered in Houston, serves approximately 7 million metered customers across multiple states and is the only Texas-domiciled investor-owned utility [6]. - As of March 31, 2025, the company had approximately $44 billion in assets and has been serving customers for over 150 years [6].

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]