NRG Energy Updates 2026 Guidance and Announces Full Year and Fourth Quarter 2025 Earnings Call
In connection with this update, NRG is initiating guidance for Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Earnings Per Share (Adjusted EPS) and updating its previously issued guidance ranges for Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow before Growth (FCFbG) to incorporate the expected contribution from the acquired portfolio.
The updated 2026 guidance reflects the expected contribution of the acquired assets into the Company's previously communicated 2026 outlook, which remains unchanged. It is also consistent with NRG's long-term financial growth framework.
The Company expects to provide additional detail on its long-term outlook during its Full Year and Fourth Quarter 2025 earnings call.
2026 Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted EPS, Adjusted EBITDA, and FCFbG Guidance a,b
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2026 |
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2026 |
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(In millions, except per share amounts) |
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Updated Guidance |
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Updated Guidance Midpoint |
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Adjusted Net Income |
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Adjusted EPS |
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Adjusted EBITDA |
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FCFbG |
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a Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted EPS, Adjusted EBITDA, and FCFbG are non-GAAP financial measures; see Appendix tables A-1 and A-2 for GAAP reconciliations. Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted EPS, and Adjusted EBITDA exclude fair value adjustments related to derivatives. The Company does not guide to GAAP Net Income due to the impact of such fair value adjustments related to derivatives in a given year.
b Reflects the Company’s previously communicated 2026 outlook, updated to incorporate approximately 11 months of ownership of the portfolio acquired from |
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Fourth Quarter 2025 Financial Results Conference Call
NRG plans to report its Full Year and Fourth Quarter 2025 financial results on
The Company will issue a press release regarding the Full Year and Fourth Quarter 2025 financial results prior to the conference call, and it will be available on the NRG website at nrg.com.
The live webcast and presentation materials can be accessed at investors.nrg.com by clicking the “presentations and webcasts” link. A replay of the webcast will be available on the site for those unable to listen in real-time.
About NRG
NRG is a leading provider of electricity, natural gas, and smart home solutions to eight million customers across
Safe Harbor
In addition to historical information, the information presented in this press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. These statements involve estimates, expectations, projections, goals, assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties and can typically be identified by terminology such as “may,” “should,” “could,” “objective,” “projection,” “forecast,” “goal,” “guidance,” “outlook,” “expect,” “intend,” “seek,” “plan,” “think,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “predict,” “target,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about NRG’s future revenues, income, indebtedness, capital structure, plans, expectations, objectives, projected financial performance and/or business results and other future events, and views of economic and market conditions.
Although NRG believes that its expectations are reasonable, it can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to be correct, and actual results may vary materially. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated herein include, among others, general economic conditions, the imposition of tariffs and escalation of international trade disputes (and inflationary impacts resulting therefrom), risks associated with the integration of the assets acquired from
NRG undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. The Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted EPS, Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow before Growth guidance are estimates as of
Appendix Table A-1: 2026 Guidance Reconciliations
The following table summarizes the 2026 Guidance calculations of Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EPS and provides a reconciliation from Net Income:
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2026 |
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(In millions, except per share amounts) |
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Updated Guidance8,9 |
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Net Income1 |
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Interest expense, net |
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1,195 |
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Income tax expense2 |
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490 - 560 |
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Depreciation and amortization3 |
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1,955 |
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ARO expense |
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30 |
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Stock-based compensation |
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120 |
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Acquisition and divestiture integration and transaction costs |
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110 |
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Other4 |
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100 |
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Adjusted EBITDA |
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Adjusted interest expense, net5 |
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(1,195) |
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Depreciation and amortization3 |
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(1,955) |
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Adjusted Income before income taxes |
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Adjusted income tax expense6 |
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(423) - (493) |
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Adjusted Net Income before Preferred Stock dividends |
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Cumulative dividends attributable to Series A Preferred Stock |
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(67) |
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Adjusted Net Income 7 |
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Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - basic |
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214 |
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Adjusted EPS |
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1 The Company does not guide to Net Income due to the impact of fair value adjustments related to derivatives in a given year. For purposes of guidance, fair value adjustments related to derivatives are assumed to be zero 2 Represents anticipated GAAP income tax
3 Estimates for the acquired 4 Includes adjustments for sale of assets, deactivation costs, and other and non-recurring charges 5 Excludes mark-to-market gains/losses on interest hedges 6 Income tax calculated using Adjusted ETR on Adjusted Income before income taxes. Adjusted ETR includes impact of NRG’s tax credits as well as non-recurring tax items, using CAMT rate to accrue tax. Other adjustments are shown on pre-tax basis 7 Adjusted Net Income as shown here is 'Adjusted Net Income available for common stockholders' 8 Items may not sum due to rounding
9 Reflects the Company’s previously communicated 2026 outlook, updated to incorporate approximately 11 months of ownership of the portfolio acquired from |
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Appendix Table A-2: 2026 Guidance Reconciliations
The following table summarizes the calculation of FCFbG providing a reconciliation from Adjusted EBITDA and Cash provided by operating activities:
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2026 |
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(In millions) |
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Updated Guidance4 |
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Adjusted EBITDA |
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Interest payments, net1 |
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(1,100) |
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Income tax payments |
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(70) - (90) |
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Gross capitalized contract costs |
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(1,020) |
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Working capital/other assets and liabilities2 |
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(135) |
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Cash provided by operating activities3 |
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Acquisition and other costs2 |
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110 |
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Adjusted cash provided by operating activities |
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Maintenance capital expenditures |
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(450) - (480) |
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Environmental capital expenditures |
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(10) - (20) |
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Cost of acquisition |
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180 |
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Free Cash Flow before |
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1 Interest payments, net represents Interest expense, net of 2 Working capital/other assets and liabilities includes payments for Acquisition and divestiture integration and transition costs, which is adjusted in Acquisition and other costs, and includes net deferred revenues 3 Excludes fair value adjustments related to derivatives and changes in collateral deposits in support of risk management activities
4 Reflects the Company’s previously communicated 2026 outlook, updated to incorporate approximately 11 months of ownership of the portfolio acquired from |
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Non-GAAP Financial Measures
NRG reports its financial results in accordance with the accounting principles generally accepted in
NRG uses the following non-GAAP measures to provide additional insight into financial performance:
- Adjusted EBITDA: Defined as net income less interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, impact of asset retirement obligation expenses and contract amortization (consisting of amortization of power and fuel contracts and amortization of emission allowances), and as further adjusted for stock-based compensation, impairment losses, deactivation costs, gains or losses on sales, dispositions or retirements of assets, any mark-to-market gains or losses from forward position of economic hedges, gains or losses on the repurchase, modification or extinguishment of debt, restructuring costs, and other non-recurring items plus adjustments to reflect the Adjusted EBITDA from our unconsolidated investments or non-controlling interests. Adjusted EBITDA is intended to facilitate period-to-period comparisons and is widely used by investors for performance assessment.
- Adjusted Net Income: Defined as net income available to common shareholders excluding the impact of asset retirement obligation expenses, contract amortization consisting of amortization of power and fuel contracts and amortization of emission allowances, stock-based compensation, impairment losses, deactivation costs, gains or losses on sales, dispositions or retirements of assets, any mark-to-market gains or losses from forward position of economic hedges, gains or losses on the repurchase, modification or extinguishment of debt, the impact of restructuring and any extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring items plus adjustments to reflect the Adjusted EBITDA from our unconsolidated investments and non-controlling interests.
- Adjusted Earnings per Share (EPS): Defined as Adjusted Net Income, divided by the average basic common shares outstanding.
- Adjusted Cash Provided/(Used) by Operating Activities: Defined as cash provided/(used) by operating activities with the reclassification of net payments of derivative contracts acquired in business combinations from financing to operating cash flow, as well as the add back of merger, integration, related restructuring costs, adjustment for change in collateral, and the impact of extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring items.
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Free Cash Flow before
Growth Investments : Defined as Adjusted Cash provided/(used) by operating activities less maintenance and environmental capital expenditures, net of funding and insurance recoveries related to property, plant and equipment, and adjustments to exclude cost of acquisition related to growth.
Management believes these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors and other users of NRG's financial statements in evaluating the Company’s operating performance and growth, as well as the impact of the Company’s capital allocation program. They provide an additional tool to compare business performance across periods and adjust for items that management does not consider indicative of NRG’s future operating performance. Management uses these non-GAAP financial measures to assist in comparing financial performance from period to period on a consistent basis and to readily view operating trends, as a measure for planning and forecasting overall expectations, and for evaluating actual results against such expectations, and in communications with NRG's Board of Directors, shareholders, creditors, analysts and investors concerning its financial performance.
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