NRG Energy Inc vs Williams Companies Inc — how do they compare? NRG Energy Inc trades at $121.17 (market cap $24.83B), while Williams Companies Inc trades at $73.83 (market cap $88.45B). The key difference: Williams Companies Inc is far larger — about 3.6× NRG Energy Inc's market cap, and Williams Companies Inc pays the higher dividend (2.9%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| NRG | WMB | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $24.83B | $88.45B |
Sector | Utilities | Energy |
52-Week High | $184.03 | $79.40 |
52-Week Low | $117.04 | $56.51 |
Enterprise Value | $48.79B | $119.07B |
Dividend Yield | 1.61% | 2.9% |
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.
Williams Companies (WMB) trades at $73.60, up 2.44% with a bullish technical signal despite mixed earnings history. The company reported strong Q1 2026 results but missed Q2 estimates, while raising full-year EBITDA guidance to $8.4 billion. Analyst consensus remains strongly bullish with a $87.14 price target, supported by the recent $5.5 billion Momentum Midstream acquisition that enhances Gulf Coast exposure and supports 11% annual growth targets through 2030.
WMB presents a compelling investment case with strong profitability metrics (25.18% net margin, 24.02% ROE) and dividend stability ($2.10 annualized). Key risks include execution challenges from the Momentum integration, debt levels at 52.07% of assets, and potential volatility from energy market fluctuations. The stock offers 18% upside to consensus target with institutional support despite recent position reductions.
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 →Williams is a midstream energy company that owns and operates the large Transco and Northwest pipeline systems and associated natural gas gathering, processing, and storage assets. In August 2018, the firm acquired the remaining 26% ownership of its limited partner, Williams Partners.
Read more on WMB →