NRG Energy Option Alert: Mar 21 $100 Calls Sweep (5) near the Bid: 436 vs 2052 OI; Earnings 2/26 Before Open 

NRG Energy Option Alert: Mar 21 $100 Calls Sweep (5) near the Bid: 436 @ $12.938 vs 2052 OI; Earnings 2/26 Before Open Ref=$110.68

NRG Energy (NYSE:NRG) Stock

NRG Energy

NRG Energy is one of the largest retail energy providers in the us, with 6 million customers. Vivint Smart Home, which NRG acquired in 2023, has 2 million home services customers. NRG also is one of the largest us independent power producers, with 13 gigawatts of coal, gas, and oil power generation capacity primarily in Texas. NRG exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy as a stand-alone entity in December 2003.

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Elliott Investment Management made several portfolio moves in the fourth quarter, closing multiple options positions and shaking up the activist firm&#39;s technology exposure.

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Editor's Note: This article has been updated to clarify that Elliott Investment Management purchased convertible senior notes of Wolfspeed and MicroStrategy.
Elliott Investment Management made several portfolio moves in the fourth quarter, closing multiple options positions and shaking up the activist firm&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/25/02/43811538/5-top-tech-stocks-hedge-funds-have-been-bullish-on-in-q4-hint-its-not-nvidia">technology exposure</a>.
According to a new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1791786/000101359425000294/xslForm13F_X02/primary_doc.xml" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">13-F</a>&nbsp;filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Elliott added the following new positions in the fourth quarter:
<ul>
<li>Wolfspeed Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WOLF#NYSE">WOLF</a>) 0.25% and 1.875% convertible senior notes</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>NVIDIA Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) put options</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>SPDR Select Sector Fund Industrial (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLI#NYSE">XLI</a>) put options</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>SPDR S&amp;P Oil &amp; Gas Exploration &amp; Production (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XOP#NYSE">XOP</a>) put options</li>
</ul>
Here's a look at all of the positions Elliott added to during the fourth quarter:
<ul>
<li>Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) increased by 369%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>MicroStrategy Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>) increased convertible senior notes by 200%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>CorMedix Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRMD#NASDAQ">CRMD</a>) increased by 85%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>HDFC Bank Limited (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HDB#NYSE">HDB</a>) increased by 6%</li>
</ul>
Here&#8217;s a look at all of the positions Elliott closed during the fourth quarter:
<ul>
<li>Catalent Inc (CTLC) </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Cardinal Health Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CAH#NYSE">CAH</a>)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Unity Software Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/U#NYSE">U</a>)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>BILL Holdings Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BILL#NYSE">BILL</a>)</li>
</ul>
Elliott closed out of calls in several names including Arm Holdings, American Airlines and Alaska Air Group. The firm also closed multiple put positions including Equinix, Hyatt Hotels and Host Hotels.
Here's a look at all of the positions Elliott trimmed during the fourth quarter:
<ul>
<li>ICON Plc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ICLR#NASDAQ">ICLR</a>) decreased by 62%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>RingCentral Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RING#NYSE">RING</a>) decreased by 55%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>NRG Energy Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NRG#NYSE">NRG</a>) decreased by 50%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Confluent Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CFLT#NASDAQ">CFLT</a>) decreased by 37%</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Southwest Airlines Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LUV#NYSE">LUV</a>) decreased by 2%</li>
</ul>
The above information does not include call or put options that were added to or trimmed&nbsp;during the quarter.
This information was gathered using comparison tools from&nbsp;<a href="https://13f.info/13f/000101359425000294/compare/000101359424000968" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">13f.info</a>.
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</ul>
This illustration was generated using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

NRG Energy (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NRG#NYSE">NRG</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 11.07% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 25.48%. Currently, NRG Energy has a market capitalization of $21.78 billion. 
Buying $1000 In NRG: If an investor had bought $1000 of NRG stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $2,947.30 today based on a price of $107.52 for NRG at the time of writing.
<h3>NRG Energy's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1740060192_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

$1000 Invested In This Stock 5 Years Ago Would Be Worth This Much Today

Morgan Stanley analyst Stephen Byrd maintains NRG Energy (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NRG#NYSE">NRG</a>) with a Equal-Weight and raises the price target from $86 to $99.

Price Target

Analyst Ratings

Morgan Stanley Maintains Equal-Weight on NRG Energy, Raises Price Target to $99

General

13F Shows Elliott Investment Management Cuts Share Stake In Southwest Airlines Co By 2.4% To 59.7M Shares, Dissolves Share Stake In Cardinal Health Inc, Cuts Share Stake In NRG Energy Inc By 50.4% To 4.8M Shares

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CNBC Halftime Report Final Trades: NRG Energy, MP Materials Corp., CareDx, Applovin

NRG Energy's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NRG#NYSE">NRG</a>) short percent of float has fallen 20.46% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 8.91 million shares sold short, which is 5.87% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 2.97 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock/">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>NRG Energy Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1738698311_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for NRG Energy has declined since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to rise in the near-term but traders should be aware that less shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing NRG Energy's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>, NRG Energy's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 2.05%, which means the company has more short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze/">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

Short Sellers

Short Ideas

How Is The Market Feeling About NRG Energy?

NRG Energy (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NRG#NYSE">NRG</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 9.56% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 21.86%. Currently, NRG Energy has a market capitalization of $20.62 billion. 
Buying $1000 In NRG: If an investor had bought $1000 of NRG stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $2,690.59 today based on a price of $101.78 for NRG at the time of writing.
<h3>NRG Energy's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1738594809_0_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

$1000 Invested In NRG Energy 5 Years Ago Would Be Worth This Much Today

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on NRG Energy (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NRG#NYSE">NRG</a>).
And retail traders should know.
We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.
Whether this is an institution or just a wealthy individual, we don't know. But when something this big happens with NRG, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 8 options trades for NRG Energy.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 25% bullish and 50%, bearish.
Out of all of the options we uncovered, 7 are puts, for a total amount of $396,902, and there was 1 call, for a total amount of $76,200.
<h3>Expected Price Movements</h3>
Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $85.0 to $100.0 for NRG Energy over the last 3 months. 
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Trends</h3>
Assessing the volume and open interest is a strategic step in options trading. These metrics shed light on the liquidity and investor interest in NRG Energy's options at specified strike prices. The forthcoming data visualizes the fluctuation in volume and open interest for both calls and puts, linked to NRG Energy's substantial trades, within a strike price spectrum from $85.0 to $100.0 over the preceding 30 days.
<h3>NRG Energy 30-Day Option Volume &amp; Interest Snapshot</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1737990037_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Biggest Options Spotted:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th align="right">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>NRG</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$4.4</td>
<td>$2.35</td>
<td>$3.5</td>
<td>$85.00</td>
<td>$174.6K</td>
<td>249</td>
<td align="right">501</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NRG</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$8.0</td>
<td>$7.3</td>
<td>$7.62</td>
<td>$100.00</td>
<td>$76.2K</td>
<td>2.1K</td>
<td align="right">100</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NRG</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$2.5</td>
<td>$2.35</td>
<td>$2.35</td>
<td>$90.00</td>
<td>$65.0K</td>
<td>2.5K</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NRG</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$2.5</td>
<td>$2.4</td>
<td>$2.45</td>
<td>$85.00</td>
<td>$43.8K</td>
<td>311</td>
<td align="right">20</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NRG</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>12/19/25</td>
<td>$10.7</td>
<td>$8.8</td>
<td>$10.4</td>
<td>$90.00</td>
<td>$33.0K</td>
<td>104</td>
<td align="right">57</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About NRG Energy</h3>
NRG Energy is one of the largest retail energy providers in the us, with 6 million customers. Vivint Smart Home, which NRG acquired in 2023, has 2 million home services customers. NRG also is one of the largest us independent power producers, with 13 gigawatts of coal, gas, and oil power generation capacity primarily in Texas. NRG exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy as a stand-alone entity in December 2003.
<h3>NRG Energy's Current Market Status</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a volume of 777,659, the price of NRG is down -11.5% at $99.44. </li>
<li>RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock may be approaching overbought.</li>
<li>Next earnings are expected to be released in 30 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Expert Opinions on NRG Energy</h3>
A total of 1 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $126.0.
Turn $1000 into $1270 in just 20 days?
20-year pro options trader reveals his one-line chart technique that shows when to buy and sell. Copy his trades, which have had averaged a 27% profit every 20 days. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/options-moneyline-2/?t=Moop1arja3be22op14&amp;utm_source=benzinga-insights">Click here for access</a>. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Evercore ISI Group has elevated its stance to Outperform, setting a new price target at $126. 
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for NRG Energy, <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> gives you real-time options trades alerts.

Options

Markets

A Closer Look at NRG Energy's Options Market Dynamics

The S&amp;P 500 is charging into the final week of January at record highs, breaking above 6,100 points as investors digest a cocktail of economic optimism, earnings strength, and major <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/donald-trump">policy shifts from Washington.</a>
At the center of this market euphoria is Donald Trump. The <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/01/43085323/trump-sworn-in-as-47th-president-declares-golden-age-of-america-begins-right-now">newly sworn-in</a> 47th U.S. president began his first week with a series of executive orders targeting <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/01/43086509/trump-unleashes-executive-orders-on-border-security-oil-drilling-domestic-manufacturing-in-first-acts-as-president">trade, immigration and oil</a>. Some orders have immediate effects, others are symbolic, and several <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/01/21/g-s1-44023/trump-birthright-citizenship-immigration-order-14th-amendment">face</a> legal challenges.
On Tuesday, Trump also <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/sector-etfs/25/01/43135764/trumps-500-billion-stargate-ai-plan-puts-3-etfs-in-focus">unveiled plans for AI Stargate</a>, a $500 billion project. And on Thursday, Trump appeared in a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKBWckduL2k">video address</a> at Davos, touting that the U.S. will be &#8220;the world capital of artificial intelligence and crypto.&#8221;
Meanwhile, there's a quieter trend playing out: The final week of January has historically been a positive period for stocks, and data suggests a handful of S&amp;P 500 names could be primed for outsized gains.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">January's Final Week Sparked By Optimism </h3>
Seasonality isn't always a reliable predictor in markets, but when patterns persist for nearly a century, they demand attention. 
Data from Seasonax reveals that January has closed in positive territory 60% of the time over the past 97 years, with an average gain of 1.1%.
What's even more striking is that more than half of those gains have occurred in the final week of the month.
Since 1928, the S&amp;P 500 has climbed 0.6% on average in the last week of January, closing higher 61% of the time. 
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">5 Stocks With a History Of Late-January Gains</h3>
Historical patterns don't dictate the future, but they often coincide. 
And according to two decades of market data, five S&amp;P 500 stocks have consistently outperformed during the final stretch of January.
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Stock</th>
<th>Avg. Return (Final Jan. Week)</th>
<th>Positive Closes (Last 20 Yrs)</th>
<th>Best Performance</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Hologic Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HOLX#NASDAQ">HOLX</a>)</td>
<td>4.08% (Jan. 23 &#8211; Feb. 2)</td>
<td>14 out of 20 years</td>
<td>36.58% in 2005</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>)</td>
<td>2.7% (Jan. 23 &#8211; Jan. 30)</td>
<td>16 out of 20 years</td>
<td>16.2% in 2009</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NRG Energy Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NRG#NYSE">NRG</a>)</td>
<td>2.5% (Jan. 23 &#8211; Feb. 2)</td>
<td>14 out of 20 years</td>
<td>21.04% in 2016</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Wells Fargo &amp; Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WFC#NYSE">WFC</a>)</td>
<td>1.9% (Jan. 23 &#8211; Jan. 31)</td>
<td>13 out of 20 years</td>
<td>21% in 2009</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Becton, Dickinson &amp; Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BDX#NYSE">BDX</a>)</td>
<td>1.56% (Jan. 23 &#8211; Feb. 2)</td>
<td>14 out of 20 years</td>
<td>9.8% in 2005</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
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Image: Shutterstock

AMZN

HOLX

5 S&P 500 Stocks Set To Shine In The Final Week Of January — If History Repeats Itself

NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NRG#NYSE">NRG</a>) today announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend on the Company's common stock of $0.44 per share, or $1.76 per share on an annualized basis. This dividend represents an 8% increase from the prior year, in line with the Company's previously announced annual dividend growth rate target of 7-9% per share. The dividend is payable on February 18, 2025, to stockholders of record as of February 3, 2025.

Dividends

NRG Energy Increases Quarterly Dividend From $0.41 To $0.44 Per Share

WIIM

NRG Energy shares are trading higher after Evercore ISI Group upgraded the stock from In-Line to Outperform and raised its price target from $74 to $126.

Top Wall Street analysts changed their outlook on these top names. For a complete view of all analyst rating changes, including upgrades, downgrades and initiations, please see our <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings">analyst ratings page</a>.
<ul>
<li>Citigroup analyst Jason Gursky upgraded the rating for Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NOC#NYSE">NOC</a>) from Neutral to Buy and maintained the price target of $587. Northrop Grumman shares closed at $482.38 on Friday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/noc/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock</a>.</li>
<li>Barclays analyst Benjamin Theurer upgraded FMC Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FMC#NYSE">FMC</a>) from Equal-Weight to Overweight and maintained the price target of $65. FMC shares closed at $53.43 on Friday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/fmc/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock</a>.</li>
<li>Evercore ISI Group analyst Durgesh Chopra upgraded the rating for NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NRG#NYSE">NRG</a>) from In-Line to Outperform and raised the price target from $74 to $126. NRG Energy shares closed at $104.51 on Friday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/nrg/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock</a>.</li>
<li>Morgan Stanley analyst Simeon Gutman upgraded Ulta Beauty, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ULTA#NASDAQ">ULTA</a>) from Equal-Weight to Overweight and raised the price target from $430 to $500. Ulta Beauty shares closed at $405.01 on Friday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ulta/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock</a>.</li>
<li>Jefferies analyst Surinder Thind upgraded the rating for Genpact Limited (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/G#NYSE">G</a>) from Hold to Buy and raised the price target from $44 to $55. Genpact shares closed at $45.11 on Friday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/G/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock.</a></li>
</ul>
Considering buying ULTA stock? Here&#8217;s what analysts think: 
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="572" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/21072017/image-134-1024x572.png" alt="" class="wp-image-742314" style="width:546px;height:auto" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/21072017/image-134-1024x572.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/21072017/image-134-300x168.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/21072017/image-134-768x429.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/21072017/image-134.png 1087w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43091705/top-4-health-care-stocks-you-may-want-to-dump-in-q1">Top 4 Health Care Stocks You May Want To Dump In Q1</a></li>
</ul>

Upgrades

Pre-Market Outlook

ULTA

This Ulta Beauty Analyst Turns Bullish; Here Are Top 5 Upgrades For Tuesday

Evercore ISI Group analyst Durgesh Chopra upgrades NRG Energy (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NRG#NYSE">NRG</a>) from In-Line to Outperform and raises the price target from $74 to $126.

Evercore ISI Group Upgrades NRG Energy to Outperform, Raises Price Target to $126

NRG Energy (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NRG#NYSE">NRG</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 9.71% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 22.01%. Currently, NRG Energy has a market capitalization of $20.89 billion. 
Buying $1000 In NRG: If an investor had bought $1000 of NRG stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $2,703.79 today based on a price of $103.14 for NRG at the time of writing.
<h3>NRG Energy's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1736957708_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Live On CNBC, Rob Sechan Announces Bought NRG Energy; Bought Amazon

NRG Energy (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NRG#NYSE">NRG</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 6.92% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 19.6%. Currently, NRG Energy has a market capitalization of $18.28 billion. 
Buying $100 In NRG: If an investor had bought $100 of NRG stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $241.36 today based on a price of $90.22 for NRG at the time of writing.
<h3>NRG Energy's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1735771508_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Here's How Much You Would Have Made Owning NRG Energy Stock In The Last 5 Years

NRG Energy's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NRG#NYSE">NRG</a>) short percent of float has risen 13.33% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 10.85 million shares sold short, which is 7.14% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 5.65 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock/">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>NRG Energy Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1735749016_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for NRG Energy has grown since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to fall in the near-term but traders should be aware that more shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing NRG Energy's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>, NRG Energy's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 1.90%, which means the company has more short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze/">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

Wall Street began Tuesday&#8217;s session on a weaker note, with major indices slipping after November's robust retail sales report reignited investor concerns that the Federal Reserve might hold back interest <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42514008/fed-poised-to-cut-interest-rates-by-0-25-this-week-heres-why-your-focus-should-shift-to-other-signals">rate cuts next year. </a>
The data, which underscored resilient consumer spending heading into the holiday season, added a fresh layer of uncertainty to the Fed's future rate path ahead of Wednesday&#8217;s highly awaited December Federal Open Market Committee meeting.
Retail sales surged 0.7% last month, outperforming consensus estimates of a 0.5% increase and marking a notable acceleration from October's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42529956/november-retail-sales-soar-to-11-month-highs-indicate-strong-holiday-season">upwardly revised 0.5% gain. </a>
On an annual basis, sales climbed 3.8%, hitting their fastest pace since December 2023. A significant portion of the strength came from auto sales, which soared 2.6% on a monthly basis and by a robust 6.5% year-over-year, highlighting consumers' willingness to make big-ticket purchases in the fourth quarter of the year.
Spending was also robust in other categories. Nonstore retailers, driven by e-commerce activity, posted a 1.8% monthly gain, reflecting the growing dominance of online shopping as the holiday season commenced. Sporting goods, hobby, and book stores registered a 0.9% uptick, showing steady demand for discretionary items.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Market Reaction: Pressure Builds On Equities</h3>
The stronger-than-expected data put equity markets under pressure, as investors recalibrated their expectations for the Fed's next moves. 
The S&amp;P 500 index – as tracked by the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) – and Dow Jones Industrial Average both fell 0.7%, while the Nasdaq 100 – tracked by the Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) – slid 0.8%, weighed down by weakness in the chip sector. 
Semiconductor stocks led the downturn amid renewed geopolitical tensions after reports surfaced that China is broadening antitrust scrutiny on U.S. chipmakers&#8217; acquisitions in recent years. Last week, Beijing opened an investigation on U.S. chip giant Nvidia Corp.&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) 2019 acquisition of Mellanox Technologies.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Investors Face Fed Uncertainty</h3>
The robust retail sales data is the latest in a series of reports—alongside <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/treasuries/24/12/42460477/producer-inflation-rises-more-than-expected-to-3-in-november-cast-shadow-on-further-disinflation-progress">hotter-than-expected inflation prints</a> and upbeat <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42511277/us-services-sector-booms-at-fastest-pace-since-october-2021-business-activity-leaps-to-over-two-year-highs">December Purchasing Managers&#8217; Index surveys</a>—that challenge the case for aggressive rate cuts next year.
While a 25-basis-point reduction at the Fed's policy meeting this week is widely anticipated, the central bank's outlook for 2025 remains in question.
Fed fund futures now suggest an 80% chance the Fed will hold rates steady at its January meeting, while expectations for a March rate cut have softened, with odds slipping to 58% from 60% a day earlier.
Betting-implied odds from CFTC-regulated Kalshi continue to suggest an elevated 92% probability of four cuts next year, yet financial markets now imply only three rate cuts. 
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Top 5 S&amp;P 500 Performers</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Company</th>
<th>Price ($)</th>
<th>% Change</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>SolarEdge Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SEDG#NASDAQ">SEDG</a>)</td>
<td>14.35</td>
<td>+16.57%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PFE#NYSE">PFE</a>)</td>
<td>26.24</td>
<td>+3.88%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ON Semiconductor Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ON#NASDAQ">ON</a>)</td>
<td>68.65</td>
<td>+3.26%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>)</td>
<td>475.11</td>
<td>+2.82%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Moderna Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MRNA#NASDAQ">MRNA</a>)</td>
<td>42.81</td>
<td>+2.37%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Top 5 S&amp;P 500 Losers</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Company</th>
<th>Price ($)</th>
<th>% Change</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>)</td>
<td>234.36</td>
<td>-6.29%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>APA Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APA#NASDAQ">APA</a>)</td>
<td>21.00</td>
<td>-4.35%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Constellation Energy Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CEG#NASDAQ">CEG</a>)</td>
<td>231.09</td>
<td>-3.43%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Humana Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HUM#NYSE">HUM</a>)</td>
<td>252.18</td>
<td>-3.33%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NRG Energy Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NRG#NYSE">NRG</a>)</td>
<td>91.18</td>
<td>-3.25%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Top 5 Nasdaq 100 Performers</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Company</th>
<th>Price ($)</th>
<th>% Change</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Super Micro Computer Inc. (NASDAQ: SMCI9 </td>
<td>34.47</td>
<td>+3.08%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tesla Inc.</td>
<td>472.84</td>
<td>+2.33%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/regn#NASDAQ">REGN</a>)</td>
<td>740.51</td>
<td>+2.24%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ASML#NASDAQ">ASML</a>)</td>
<td>738.86</td>
<td>+2.22%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NXP#NASDAQ">NXP</a>)</td>
<td>222.95</td>
<td>+2.21%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Top 5 Nasdaq 100 Losers</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Company</th>
<th>Price ($)</th>
<th>% Change</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Marvell Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MRVL#NASDAQ">MRVL</a>)</td>
<td>114.10</td>
<td>-8.52%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Broadcom</td>
<td>234.15</td>
<td>-6.37%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nvidia</td>
<td>127.15</td>
<td>-3.65%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Constellation Energy</td>
<td>231.04</td>
<td>-3.45%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SiriusXM Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SIRI#NASDAQ">SIRI</a>)</td>
<td>22.02</td>
<td>-2.76%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
Read now: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42531373/financial-stocks-near-record-year-could-trump-deregulation-fuel-bigger-gains-in-2025">Financial Stocks Near Record Year: Could Trump Deregulation Fuel Bigger Gains In 2025?</a></li>
</ul>
Image created using photos from Shutterstock.

Equities

Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

Retail Sales

Econ #s

Federal Reserve

ETFs

ASML

AVGO

MRNA

MRVL

REGN

SEDG

SIRI

TSLA

Stocks Slip As Strong November Retail Sales Raise Concerns Over 2025 Fed Rate Cuts

Looking into the current session, NRG Energy Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NRG#NYSE">NRG</a>) shares are trading at $92.69, after a 1.58% drop. Over the past month, the stock decreased by 2.76%, but over the past year, it actually went up by 86.80%. With questionable short-term performance like this, and great long-term performance, long-term shareholders might want to start looking into the company's price-to-earnings ratio. 

<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1734448512_0.png" alt="Past Year Chart" />

<h3>How Does NRG Energy P/E Compare to Other Companies?</h3>
The P/E ratio is used by long-term shareholders to assess the company's market performance against aggregate market data, historical earnings, and the industry at large. A lower P/E could indicate that shareholders do not expect the stock to perform better in the future or it could mean that the company is undervalued. 
Compared to the aggregate P/E ratio of 17.67 in the Electric Utilities industry, NRG Energy Inc. has a higher P/E ratio of 23.31. Shareholders might be inclined to think that NRG Energy Inc. might perform better than its industry group. It's also possible that the stock is overvalued. 

<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1734448512_1.png" alt="Guage" />

In summary, while the price-to-earnings ratio is a valuable tool for investors to evaluate a company's market performance, it should be used with caution. A low P/E ratio can be an indication of undervaluation, but it can also suggest weak growth prospects or financial instability. Moreover, the P/E ratio is just one of many metrics that investors should consider when making investment decisions, and it should be evaluated alongside other financial ratios, industry trends, and qualitative factors. By taking a comprehensive approach to analyzing a company's financial health, investors can make well-informed decisions that are more likely to lead to successful outcomes.

Intraday Update

P/E Ratio Insights for NRG Energy

NRG Energy's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NRG#NYSE">NRG</a>) short percent of float has risen 3.85% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 9.41 million shares sold short, which is 6.2% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 3.12 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock/">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>NRG Energy Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1733149823_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for NRG Energy has grown since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to fall in the near-term but traders should be aware that more shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing NRG Energy's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>, NRG Energy's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 1.89%, which means the company has more short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze/">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

(NRG) - Analyzing NRG Energy's Short Interest

Press Releases

NRG Energy, Inc. Announces Pricing of Tender Offer for any and all of 6.75% Senior Secured Notes due 2027 issued by APX Group, Inc.

NRG, Renew Home and Google Cloud Announce Partnership

NRG Energy, Inc. Reports Third Quarter Results, Initiates 2025 Guidance, and Introduces Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EPS

NRG Energy Honors Business Customers During Fifth Annual Excellence in Energy Awards

Eight Pennsylvania and New Jersey Nonprofits Share $100K in Donations from "NRG Gives" Program

Direct Energy Invests in Hope and Healing through $60,000 Donation to Two Alberta Hospitals

CSG Announces Board of Directors' Chair Transition

NRG Energy, Inc. Announces Quarterly Dividend

NRG Energy, Inc. to Report Full Year and Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Results on February 26, 2025

In Other Fútbol News: NRG Energy Signs on as an Official Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 26 Houston™

CSGS

American Electric Power Company, Inc. - Common Stock

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Constellation Energy Corporation - Common Stock

Constellation Energy

Comp En De Mn Cemig ADS American Depositary Shares

Cia Energetica DE Minas

Comp En De Mn Cemig ADS American Depositary Receipts

Duke Energy Corporation (Holding Company) Common Stock

Duke Energy

Centrais Electricas Brasileiras S A American Depositary Shares (Each representing one Common Share)

Centrais Eletricas

Centrais Electricas Brasileiras S.A. Sponsored ADS representing Pfd Shares

Edison Intl

Companhia Paranaense de Energia (COPEL) American Depositary Shares (each representing one Unit consisting one Common Share and four non-voting Class B Preferred Shares)

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