NRG Energy Inc vs UnitedHealth Group Inc — how do they compare? NRG Energy Inc trades at $116.75 (market cap $25.15B), while UnitedHealth Group Inc trades at $394.14 (market cap $359.79B). The key difference: UnitedHealth Group Inc is far larger — about 14.3× NRG Energy Inc's market cap, and UnitedHealth Group Inc pays the higher dividend (2.32%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| NRG | UNH | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $25.15B | $359.79B |
Sector | Utilities | Health |
52-Week High | $184.03 | $436.35 |
52-Week Low | $109.51 | $259.02 |
Enterprise Value | $49.10B | $401.65B |
Dividend Yield | 1.59% | 2.32% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
NRG Energy trades at $119.64, up 0.52% with a bullish technical signal despite recent earnings misses. The stock shows strong profitability metrics including 26.77% ROE and 2.56% net margin, supported by $30.71B revenue in 2025. Recent developments include a transformative 1.2 GW Texas data-center power project and LS Power acquisition, driving long-term growth expectations. Cash flow trends show volatility with 2025 net cash flow of $3.83B followed by projected 2026 outflow of -$264M.
Wall Street maintains strong bullish sentiment with 69% buy ratings and $201.29 consensus target, representing 68% upside. Key risks include rising interest costs impacting earnings, elevated debt levels at 56.42% debt-to-asset ratio, and execution challenges with major capital projects. The data center expansion strategy offers significant growth potential but requires careful monitoring of capex and leverage management.
UnitedHealth Group (UNH) trades at $393.06, down 1.03% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and strong analyst support. The company reported revenue of $447.57B in 2025, with net income of $12.06B, and has beaten EPS estimates in recent quarters. Recent news highlights strategic moves to reduce pediatric prior authorizations and ongoing shareholder returns via dividends and buybacks.
The outlook for UNH is positive, driven by aging demographics, Medicare growth, and operational efficiencies, though risks include regulatory scrutiny and margin pressures. With 82.7% of analysts rating it a buy and a consensus price target of $475.47, the stock presents a compelling opportunity for long-term investors seeking exposure to healthcare stability and dividend growth.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →UnitedHealth Group is one of the largest private health insurers, providing medical benefits to 50 million members globally, including 5 million outside the U.S. at the end of 2021. As a leader in employer-sponsored, self-directed, and government-backed insurance plans, UnitedHealth has obtained massive scale in managed care. Along with its insurance assets, UnitedHealth's continued investments in its Optum franchises have created a healthcare services colossus that spans everything from medical and pharmaceutical benefits to providing outpatient care and analytics to both affiliated and third-party customers.
Read more on UNH →