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Side-by-side financial comparison of CenterPoint Energy (CNP) and Fastenal (FAST). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
CenterPoint Energy is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($2.4B vs $2.0B, roughly 1.2× Fastenal). Fastenal runs the higher net margin — 14.5% vs 10.8%, a 3.7% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, CenterPoint Energy posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (10.7% vs 3.5%). Fastenal produced more free cash flow last quarter ($308.2M vs $-707.0M). Over the past eight quarters, Fastenal's revenue compounded faster (2.9% CAGR vs -3.1%).
CenterPoint Energy, Inc. is an American utility company based in Houston, Texas, that provides electric and natural gas utility to customers in several markets in the American states of Indiana, Ohio, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, and Texas. Part of the Fortune 500, the company was formerly known as Reliant Energy, NorAm Energy, Houston Industries, and HL&P. The company is headquartered in the CenterPoint Energy Tower at 1111 Louisiana Street in Downtown Houston.
Fastenal Company is an American publicly traded company based in Winona, Minnesota, founded in 1967. Fastenal is a major distributor of industrial and construction supplies, and the largest fastener distributor in North America. Fastenal provides supply chain solutions including bin stock, vending machines, inventory management, and logistics services.
CNP vs FAST — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $2.4B | $2.0B |
| Net Profit | $264.0M | $293.9M |
| Gross Margin | — | 44.3% |
| Operating Margin | 22.2% | 18.9% |
| Net Margin | 10.8% | 14.5% |
| Revenue YoY | 10.7% | 3.5% |
| Net Profit YoY | 6.5% | -1.6% |
| EPS (diluted) | $0.40 | $-0.01 |
Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.
8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend
Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.
| Q1 26 | — | $2.0B | ||
| Q4 25 | $2.4B | $2.0B | ||
| Q3 25 | $2.0B | $2.1B | ||
| Q2 25 | $2.0B | $2.1B | ||
| Q1 25 | $3.0B | $2.0B | ||
| Q4 24 | $2.2B | $1.8B | ||
| Q3 24 | $1.8B | $1.9B | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.9B | $1.9B |
| Q1 26 | — | $293.9M | ||
| Q4 25 | $264.0M | $293.9M | ||
| Q3 25 | $293.0M | $335.5M | ||
| Q2 25 | $198.0M | $330.3M | ||
| Q1 25 | $297.0M | $298.7M | ||
| Q4 24 | $248.0M | $262.1M | ||
| Q3 24 | $193.0M | $298.1M | ||
| Q2 24 | $228.0M | $292.7M |
| Q1 26 | — | 44.3% | ||
| Q4 25 | — | 44.3% | ||
| Q3 25 | 99.9% | 45.3% | ||
| Q2 25 | 99.9% | 45.3% | ||
| Q1 25 | 100.0% | 45.1% | ||
| Q4 24 | 100.0% | 44.8% | ||
| Q3 24 | 99.9% | 44.9% | ||
| Q2 24 | — | 45.1% |
| Q1 26 | — | 18.9% | ||
| Q4 25 | 22.2% | 18.9% | ||
| Q3 25 | 25.2% | 20.7% | ||
| Q2 25 | 21.4% | 21.0% | ||
| Q1 25 | 22.0% | 20.1% | ||
| Q4 24 | 21.9% | 18.9% | ||
| Q3 24 | 22.9% | 20.3% | ||
| Q2 24 | 24.5% | 20.2% |
| Q1 26 | — | 14.5% | ||
| Q4 25 | 10.8% | 14.5% | ||
| Q3 25 | 14.7% | 15.7% | ||
| Q2 25 | 10.1% | 15.9% | ||
| Q1 25 | 10.0% | 15.2% | ||
| Q4 24 | 11.3% | 14.4% | ||
| Q3 24 | 10.4% | 15.6% | ||
| Q2 24 | 12.0% | 15.3% |
| Q1 26 | — | $-0.01 | ||
| Q4 25 | $0.40 | $-0.01 | ||
| Q3 25 | $0.45 | $0.29 | ||
| Q2 25 | $0.30 | $0.29 | ||
| Q1 25 | $0.45 | $0.52 | ||
| Q4 24 | $0.37 | $0.45 | ||
| Q3 24 | $0.30 | $0.52 | ||
| Q2 24 | $0.36 | $0.51 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | $548.0M | $276.8M |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $20.6B | $125.0M |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $11.2B | $3.9B |
| Total Assets | $46.5B | $5.1B |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | 1.84× | 0.03× |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q1 26 | — | $276.8M | ||
| Q4 25 | $548.0M | $276.8M | ||
| Q3 25 | $616.0M | $288.1M | ||
| Q2 25 | $776.0M | $237.8M | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.9B | $231.8M | ||
| Q4 24 | $585.0M | $255.8M | ||
| Q3 24 | $643.0M | $292.2M | ||
| Q2 24 | $543.0M | $255.5M |
| Q1 26 | — | $125.0M | ||
| Q4 25 | $20.6B | $125.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $195.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | — | $230.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $200.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $20.4B | $200.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $240.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | — | $235.0M |
| Q1 26 | — | $3.9B | ||
| Q4 25 | $11.2B | $3.9B | ||
| Q3 25 | $11.0B | $3.9B | ||
| Q2 25 | $11.0B | $3.8B | ||
| Q1 25 | $11.0B | $3.7B | ||
| Q4 24 | $10.7B | $3.6B | ||
| Q3 24 | $10.5B | $3.6B | ||
| Q2 24 | $10.4B | $3.5B |
| Q1 26 | — | $5.1B | ||
| Q4 25 | $46.5B | $5.1B | ||
| Q3 25 | $45.0B | $5.1B | ||
| Q2 25 | $44.1B | $5.0B | ||
| Q1 25 | $44.5B | $4.9B | ||
| Q4 24 | $43.8B | $4.7B | ||
| Q3 24 | $42.9B | $4.7B | ||
| Q2 24 | $41.0B | $4.6B |
| Q1 26 | — | 0.03× | ||
| Q4 25 | 1.84× | 0.03× | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 0.05× | ||
| Q2 25 | — | 0.06× | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 0.05× | ||
| Q4 24 | 1.91× | 0.06× | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 0.07× | ||
| Q2 24 | — | 0.07× |
Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency
How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash FlowLast quarter | $774.0M | $368.2M |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | $-707.0M | $308.2M |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | -29.0% | 15.2% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | 60.7% | 3.0% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | 2.93× | 1.25× |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | $-2.4B | $1.2B |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q1 26 | — | $368.2M | ||
| Q4 25 | $774.0M | $368.2M | ||
| Q3 25 | $742.0M | $386.9M | ||
| Q2 25 | $560.0M | $278.6M | ||
| Q1 25 | $410.0M | $262.2M | ||
| Q4 24 | $889.0M | $282.8M | ||
| Q3 24 | $136.0M | $296.9M | ||
| Q2 24 | $576.0M | $258.0M |
| Q1 26 | — | $308.2M | ||
| Q4 25 | $-707.0M | $308.2M | ||
| Q3 25 | $-480.0M | $326.6M | ||
| Q2 25 | $-569.0M | $209.3M | ||
| Q1 25 | $-628.0M | $206.5M | ||
| Q4 24 | $-1.1B | $222.6M | ||
| Q3 24 | $-708.0M | $237.5M | ||
| Q2 24 | $-236.0M | $201.9M |
| Q1 26 | — | 15.2% | ||
| Q4 25 | -29.0% | 15.2% | ||
| Q3 25 | -24.1% | 15.3% | ||
| Q2 25 | -29.1% | 10.1% | ||
| Q1 25 | -21.2% | 10.5% | ||
| Q4 24 | -51.0% | 12.2% | ||
| Q3 24 | -38.3% | 12.4% | ||
| Q2 24 | -12.4% | 10.5% |
| Q1 26 | — | 3.0% | ||
| Q4 25 | 60.7% | 3.0% | ||
| Q3 25 | 61.4% | 2.8% | ||
| Q2 25 | 57.8% | 3.3% | ||
| Q1 25 | 35.1% | 2.8% | ||
| Q4 24 | 91.3% | 3.3% | ||
| Q3 24 | 45.6% | 3.1% | ||
| Q2 24 | 42.6% | 2.9% |
| Q1 26 | — | 1.25× | ||
| Q4 25 | 2.93× | 1.25× | ||
| Q3 25 | 2.53× | 1.15× | ||
| Q2 25 | 2.83× | 0.84× | ||
| Q1 25 | 1.38× | 0.88× | ||
| Q4 24 | 3.58× | 1.08× | ||
| Q3 24 | 0.70× | 1.00× | ||
| Q2 24 | 2.53× | 0.88× |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
CNP
| Electric Segment | $945.0M | 39% |
| Electric | $890.0M | 37% |
| Other | $603.0M | 25% |
FAST
| Reportable Segment Aggregation Before Other Operating Segment | $1.8B | 90% |
| Other | $211.2M | 10% |
