NRG Energy Inc vs First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Idx Fd — how do they compare? NRG Energy Inc trades at $121.17 (market cap $24.83B), while First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Idx Fd trades at $53.21. The key difference: NRG Energy Inc pays a 1.61% dividend while First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Idx Fd pays none, and First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Idx Fd is trading nearer its 52-week high, NRG Energy Inc nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| NRG | QCLN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $24.83B | — |
Sector | Utilities | Sector/Thematic |
52-Week High | $184.03 | $68.47 |
52-Week Low | $117.04 | $36.11 |
Enterprise Value | $48.79B | — |
Dividend Yield | 1.61% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
NRG Energy trades at $120.37, down 1.23% with a bearish technical signal. Recent Q2 2026 earnings missed estimates at $1.49 EPS versus $1.69 expected, though revenue grew 11% year-over-year. The company is advancing a 1.2 GW Texas data-center power project to capitalize on AI-driven electricity demand, supported by a 69% analyst buy rating and a $207.83 consensus price target. Cash flow from operations was $1.91B in 2025, but net income margin compressed to 2.56%.
Outlook is mixed: growth initiatives in data center power present upside, but execution risks and rising interest costs pressure margins. The stock offers a 1.6% dividend yield, yet high debt-to-asset ratio of 56.42% in 2025 warrants caution. Near-term support lies at $119, with resistance at $122.
QCLN trades at $53.09, up 2.0% with a bullish technical signal from moving averages. The ETF benefits from clean energy sector momentum driven by data center power demand and global energy security concerns. Recent news highlights clean energy ETF gains amid volatile oil markets, though regulatory challenges and supply chain pressures present headwinds. Key support sits at $51-52 with resistance at $53-55.
The outlook remains positive given structural energy transition trends, but investors face regulatory uncertainty from U.S. permit delays and China trade tensions. Wall Street sentiment leans bullish on clean energy themes, though valuation metrics are unavailable for this ETF. Risks include geopolitical supply chain disruptions and policy shifts affecting renewable project economics.
Trailing returns across standard periods
NRG Energy is one of the largest retail energy providers in the U.S., with 7 million customers, including its 2021 acquisition of Direct Energy. It also is one of the largest U.S. independent power producers, with 16 gigawatts of nuclear, coal, gas, and oil power generation capacity primarily in Texas. Since 2018, NRG has divested its 47% stake in NRG Yield, among other renewable energy and conventional generation investments. NRG exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy as a stand-alone entity in December 2003.
Read more on NRG →QCLN invests in U.S.-listed companies engaged in clean energy technologies. It focuses on solar power, wind, electric vehicles, and energy storage, with major holdings in firms like Tesla, ON Semiconductor, and Rivian.
Read more on QCLN →