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Stock Comparison · Industry comparison · Utilities - Regulated Electric

CenterPoint Energy vs Pinnacle West Capital: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

The structural profiles are close, with CenterPoint Energy carrying a narrow edge on growth. Pinnacle West Capital still has the edge on valuation, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. The market setup is currently leaning toward Pinnacle West Capital, which does not confirm the structural lead. That leaves a split case: the structural lead stays with CenterPoint Energy, but the market is not currently confirming it.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels. Both peer scores are relative to the S&P 500 universe, making them directly comparable.

Updated 2026-08-16

The result is anchored in growth, but profitability also reinforces the same direction.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Utilities - Regulated Electric

This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. CNP and PNW share the same industry classification.

For a similarity-based comparison, see how CenterPoint Energy and Pinnacle West Capital each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
CNP
CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
54
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500
vs
PNW
Pinnacle West Capital Corporation
49
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

The largest gaps do not all point in the same direction.

Dimension spread: CNP vs PNW Profitability 28 6 Stability 57 66 Valuation 60 82 Growth 83 47 CNP PNW
Gap Ranking
#1 Growth +36
#2 Profitability +22
#3 Valuation +22
#4 Stability +9
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for CNP and PNW Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer CNPPNW Relative valuation Structural strength

CenterPoint Energy, Inc. still looks stronger overall, though current pricing looks more supportive for Pinnacle West Capital Corporation.

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Entry today — historical context

Where CNP and PNW each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY CNP Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 5 pct gap PNW Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 90th 96th
CNP (90th percentile) and PNW (96th percentile) both sit in the upper portion of their own 5-year ranges. The historical entry context is broadly similar for both. This reflects entry timing, not which company is structurally stronger.

Describes historical entry positioning only. Descriptive — not investment advice.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Growth
Both profiles are strong on growth, but CenterPoint Energy, Inc. leads clearly.
Profitability
Both sit in the weaker half on profitability, with CenterPoint Energy, Inc. still coming out ahead.
Growth — Dominant Gap
CNP
83
PNW
47
Gap+36in favour of CNP

Earnings growth is one contributing factor within the growth lead.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

Absolute pricing still looks more supportive for Pinnacle West Capital, with a trailing P/E that is 4.8 turns lower there.

What this means for the comparison

Growth is the clearest driver of the lead, with profitability adding further support — though valuation still provides a real counterweight.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the CNP vs PNW comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Other comparisons with conflicting dimension signals

Explore how CNP and PNW each compare against other companies in their peer groups.

Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.

Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.

Because scores are peer-relative, the same company can have slightly different scores in different index universes. On comparison pages, both companies are shown within their shared peer universe wherever possible — so the scores are directly comparable. The peer basis is stated on each score card.

Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.