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NEE vs. ETR: Which Utility Stock Is the Safer Bet for Investors?
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Key Takeaways
NextEra Energy's current ROE is 12.31% compared with Entergy's ROE of 11.52%.
NEE offers a higher dividend yield at 3.03% compared with Entergy's 2.68%.
NEE plans $74B in capital spending through 2029, while ETR targets $40B in 2025-2028.
The companies operating under the Zacks Utility – Electric Power industry offer a compelling investment case, supported by stable cash flows and the reliability of regulated business models. Many domestic utilities operate under long-term power purchase agreements, shielding them from economic swings. Rising electricity demand, combined with consistent capital spending, is driving efficiency gains, supporting steady earnings and dependable dividend distributions.
At the same time, the industry is undergoing a major transformation as it accelerates the shift toward cleaner energy. Utilities are increasing investments in renewable infrastructure, including solar, wind, battery storage, and advanced grid systems. With global momentum building around decarbonization, companies that lead in renewable and low-carbon adoption stand to benefit from reduced fuel price volatility and broader market opportunities, enhancing their appeal to both institutional and retail investors.
Amid such a backdrop, let’s focus on two U.S utilities, NextEra Energy (NEE - Free Report) and Entergy Corporation (ETR - Free Report) , which are increasing their electricity production from renewable energy sources and adding energy storage assets to their portfolio.
NextEra Energy distinguishes itself in the utility space through substantial clean energy investments and a compelling growth trajectory. Its regulated arm, Florida Power & Light, the nation’s largest utility, provides consistent cash flows supported by a dependable rate-regulated model. Meanwhile, its unregulated business, NextEra Energy Resources, leads globally in wind and solar power, fueling continued growth with a rapidly expanding portfolio of renewable projects and battery storage systems. Backed by a clear commitment to decarbonization, disciplined capital investment, and strong ESG credentials, NextEra is well-positioned to thrive as the energy sector accelerates its shift toward a sustainable future.
Entergy offers an attractive investment case as a premier regulated utility, providing high-quality services to its customers. Its reliable, rate-regulated structure underpins steady earnings and cash flow visibility, while ongoing grid modernization and generation upgrades enhance operational efficiency. The company is actively advancing its energy transition strategy by retiring coal facilities and expanding renewable and natural gas resources to address rising demand. Supported by prudent capital deployment, strong regulatory partnerships, and a proven record of consistent dividend payments, Entergy is well-positioned to generate sustainable shareholder returns and deliver resilient long-term growth in a transforming energy landscape.
As both companies are key players in the utility sector, a closer evaluation of their fundamentals is crucial. By conducting a detailed comparison, investors can gain deeper insight into their strengths and ultimately determine which stock offers the stronger investment potential.
NEE & ETR’s Earnings Growth Projections
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NextEra Energy’s earnings per share in 2025 and 2026 has remained the same in the past 60 days. Long-term (three to five years) earnings growth per share is pegged at 7.89%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Entergy’s earnings per share in 2025 and 2026 has moved up by 0.26% and 0.46%, respectively, in the past 60 days. Long-term earnings growth per share is pegged at 9.46%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NEE & ETR’s Dividend Yield
Dividends are regular payments made by a company to its shareholders and represent a direct way for investors to earn a return on their investment. They are an important indicator of a company’s financial health and stability, often signaling strong cash flow and consistent earnings. Utilities are known for regular dividend payments to their shareholders.
Currently, the dividend yield for NextEra Energy is 3.03%, while the same for Entergy is 2.68%, both better than the S&P 500 yield of 1.49%.
Return on Equity (ROE)
ROE is an essential financial indicator that evaluates a company’s efficiency in generating profits from the equity invested by its shareholders. It demonstrates how well management is utilizing the capital provided to increase earnings and deliver value. NEE’s current ROE is 12.31% compared with ETR’s ROE of 11.52%. Both companies outperform the industry’s ROE of 9.85%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NEE & ETR’s Capital Investment
Utilities direct substantial capital spending toward infrastructure upgrades, grid modernization, and the expansion of renewable energy assets. Such investments improve reliability, address rising demand, and advance clean energy objectives, while promoting operational efficiency, regulatory adherence, and consistent long-term value creation for shareholders.
NextEra Energy plans over $74B in capital investment through 2029 to expand clean energy capacity. Entergy plans to invest $40 billion in the 2025-2028 time period to strengthen its operations. Both companies are expected to benefit from a further decline in interest rates, which is expected in the last quarter of 2025.
Debt to Capital
The Zacks Utilities sector is a capital-intensive one, and huge investments are required at regular intervals to upgrade, maintain and expand operations. The usage of new evolving technology also requires investments. Therefore, utilities borrow from the market and add it to their internal cash generation to fund their long-term investments.
NEE’s debt-to-capital currently stands at 57.61% compared with ETR’s debt-to-capital of 63.47%. Both companies are using higher debt to fund their business, as the industry’s debt-to-capital stands at 54.83%. The reduction in interest rates will be beneficial for both companies.
Valuation
NextEra Energy currently appears to be trading at a discount compared with Entergy Corporation on a Price/Earnings Forward 12-month basis. (P/E- F12M).
NEE is currently trading at 19.1X, while ETR is trading at 21.3X compared with the industry’s 14.86X.
Price Performance
Entergy’s shares have gained 1.9% in the past six months compared with NextEra Energy’s rally of 3.2% and the industry’s return of 7.1%.
Price Performance (Six months)
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Conclusion
NextEra Energy and Entergy are strategically investing in their infrastructure to serve customers more efficiently and reliably.
Based on the above discussion, NextEra Energy currently has a marginal edge over Entergy, despite the stocks carrying a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) each. NEE’s higher ROE, lower debt levels, cheaper valuation, wider capital expenditure plan and better price performance make it a better choice in the utility space.
Image: Bigstock
NEE vs. ETR: Which Utility Stock Is the Safer Bet for Investors?
Key Takeaways
The companies operating under the Zacks Utility – Electric Power industry offer a compelling investment case, supported by stable cash flows and the reliability of regulated business models. Many domestic utilities operate under long-term power purchase agreements, shielding them from economic swings. Rising electricity demand, combined with consistent capital spending, is driving efficiency gains, supporting steady earnings and dependable dividend distributions.
At the same time, the industry is undergoing a major transformation as it accelerates the shift toward cleaner energy. Utilities are increasing investments in renewable infrastructure, including solar, wind, battery storage, and advanced grid systems. With global momentum building around decarbonization, companies that lead in renewable and low-carbon adoption stand to benefit from reduced fuel price volatility and broader market opportunities, enhancing their appeal to both institutional and retail investors.
Amid such a backdrop, let’s focus on two U.S utilities, NextEra Energy (NEE - Free Report) and Entergy Corporation (ETR - Free Report) , which are increasing their electricity production from renewable energy sources and adding energy storage assets to their portfolio.
NextEra Energy distinguishes itself in the utility space through substantial clean energy investments and a compelling growth trajectory. Its regulated arm, Florida Power & Light, the nation’s largest utility, provides consistent cash flows supported by a dependable rate-regulated model. Meanwhile, its unregulated business, NextEra Energy Resources, leads globally in wind and solar power, fueling continued growth with a rapidly expanding portfolio of renewable projects and battery storage systems. Backed by a clear commitment to decarbonization, disciplined capital investment, and strong ESG credentials, NextEra is well-positioned to thrive as the energy sector accelerates its shift toward a sustainable future.
Entergy offers an attractive investment case as a premier regulated utility, providing high-quality services to its customers. Its reliable, rate-regulated structure underpins steady earnings and cash flow visibility, while ongoing grid modernization and generation upgrades enhance operational efficiency. The company is actively advancing its energy transition strategy by retiring coal facilities and expanding renewable and natural gas resources to address rising demand. Supported by prudent capital deployment, strong regulatory partnerships, and a proven record of consistent dividend payments, Entergy is well-positioned to generate sustainable shareholder returns and deliver resilient long-term growth in a transforming energy landscape.
As both companies are key players in the utility sector, a closer evaluation of their fundamentals is crucial. By conducting a detailed comparison, investors can gain deeper insight into their strengths and ultimately determine which stock offers the stronger investment potential.
NEE & ETR’s Earnings Growth Projections
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NextEra Energy’s earnings per share in 2025 and 2026 has remained the same in the past 60 days. Long-term (three to five years) earnings growth per share is pegged at 7.89%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Entergy’s earnings per share in 2025 and 2026 has moved up by 0.26% and 0.46%, respectively, in the past 60 days. Long-term earnings growth per share is pegged at 9.46%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NEE & ETR’s Dividend Yield
Dividends are regular payments made by a company to its shareholders and represent a direct way for investors to earn a return on their investment. They are an important indicator of a company’s financial health and stability, often signaling strong cash flow and consistent earnings. Utilities are known for regular dividend payments to their shareholders.
Currently, the dividend yield for NextEra Energy is 3.03%, while the same for Entergy is 2.68%, both better than the S&P 500 yield of 1.49%.
Return on Equity (ROE)
ROE is an essential financial indicator that evaluates a company’s efficiency in generating profits from the equity invested by its shareholders. It demonstrates how well management is utilizing the capital provided to increase earnings and deliver value. NEE’s current ROE is 12.31% compared with ETR’s ROE of 11.52%. Both companies outperform the industry’s ROE of 9.85%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NEE & ETR’s Capital Investment
Utilities direct substantial capital spending toward infrastructure upgrades, grid modernization, and the expansion of renewable energy assets. Such investments improve reliability, address rising demand, and advance clean energy objectives, while promoting operational efficiency, regulatory adherence, and consistent long-term value creation for shareholders.
NextEra Energy plans over $74B in capital investment through 2029 to expand clean energy capacity. Entergy plans to invest $40 billion in the 2025-2028 time period to strengthen its operations. Both companies are expected to benefit from a further decline in interest rates, which is expected in the last quarter of 2025.
Debt to Capital
The Zacks Utilities sector is a capital-intensive one, and huge investments are required at regular intervals to upgrade, maintain and expand operations. The usage of new evolving technology also requires investments. Therefore, utilities borrow from the market and add it to their internal cash generation to fund their long-term investments.
NEE’s debt-to-capital currently stands at 57.61% compared with ETR’s debt-to-capital of 63.47%. Both companies are using higher debt to fund their business, as the industry’s debt-to-capital stands at 54.83%. The reduction in interest rates will be beneficial for both companies.
Valuation
NextEra Energy currently appears to be trading at a discount compared with Entergy Corporation on a Price/Earnings Forward 12-month basis. (P/E- F12M).
NEE is currently trading at 19.1X, while ETR is trading at 21.3X compared with the industry’s 14.86X.
Price Performance
Entergy’s shares have gained 1.9% in the past six months compared with NextEra Energy’s rally of 3.2% and the industry’s return of 7.1%.
Price Performance (Six months)
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Conclusion
NextEra Energy and Entergy are strategically investing in their infrastructure to serve customers more efficiently and reliably.
Based on the above discussion, NextEra Energy currently has a marginal edge over Entergy, despite the stocks carrying a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) each. NEE’s higher ROE, lower debt levels, cheaper valuation, wider capital expenditure plan and better price performance make it a better choice in the utility space.
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.