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CMS Energy vs NiSource: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

The structural profiles are close, with CMS Energy carrying a narrow edge on growth. NiSource still has the edge on growth, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. Both sides have seen trend damage — neither carries a clear market edge right now. With both trends damaged, the structural comparison carries most of the weight here.

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

Growth points more clearly toward NiSource Inc., even if the broader score still leans toward CMS Energy Corporation.

Trajectory Similarity
0.82
Similar
Peer-set rank: #25
within CMS Energy Corporation's functional peer set

These two companies are linked by measured long-term financial trajectory similarity within the selected peer universe.

A solid similarity means the pair shares a clearly comparable long-term financial profile, even if individual dimensions still differ.

The strongest overlap appears in margin trend and capital structure.

Similarity drivers
margin trendcapital structure
How to read the score
0.85–1.00 · Very similar0.70–0.84 · Similar0.55–0.69 · Moderately similarbelow 0.55 · Loose match
Peer-Relative Score
CMS
CMS Energy Corporation
48
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500
vs
NI
NiSource Inc.
46
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500

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

The clearest separation appears in growth.

Dimension spread: CMS vs NI Profitability 45 37 Stability 50 45 Valuation 73 66 Growth 13 30 CMS NI
Gap Ranking
#1 Growth +17
#2 Profitability +8
#3 Valuation +7
#4 Stability +5
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for CMS and NI Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer CMSNI Relative valuation Structural strength

The setup is mixed: neither company clearly combines the stronger profile with the more supportive price setup.

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

Entry today — historical context

Where CMS and NI each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY CMS Elevated · near norm 0th 50th 100th 1 pct gap NI Elevated · near norm 0th 50th 100th 87th 87th
CMS (87th percentile) and NI (87th 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
Neither side looks especially strong on growth, though NiSource Inc. still ranks somewhat higher.
Profitability
CMS Energy Corporation holds the stronger peer position on profitability.
Growth — Dominant Gap
CMS
13
NI
30
Gap+17in favour of NI

The clearest distance comes from a stronger growth profile.

What else supports the lead

Profitability adds another layer of support rather than leaving the result tied to growth alone.

What this means for the comparison

Growth points one way, even though the overall score still points the other way.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the CMS vs NI comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

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Similar growth-and-profitability comparisons

Explore how CMS and NI 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.