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Side-by-side financial comparison of CenterPoint Energy (CNP) and International Paper (IP). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

International Paper is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($4.7B vs $2.4B, roughly 1.9× CenterPoint Energy). CenterPoint Energy runs the higher net margin — 10.8% vs -50.3%, a 61.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, CenterPoint Energy posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (10.7% vs 3.6%). International Paper produced more free cash flow last quarter ($255.0M vs $-707.0M). Over the past eight quarters, International Paper's revenue compounded faster (1.3% 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.

The International Paper Company is an American pulp and paper company, the largest such company in the world. It has approximately 39,000 employees, and is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee.

CNP vs IP — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
IP
IP
1.9× larger
IP
$4.7B
$2.4B
CNP
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
CNP
CNP
+7.1% gap
CNP
10.7%
3.6%
IP
Higher net margin
CNP
CNP
61.1% more per $
CNP
10.8%
-50.3%
IP
More free cash flow
IP
IP
$962.0M more FCF
IP
$255.0M
$-707.0M
CNP
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
IP
IP
Annualised
IP
1.3%
-3.1%
CNP

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
CNP
CNP
IP
IP
Revenue
$2.4B
$4.7B
Net Profit
$264.0M
$-2.4B
Gross Margin
32.2%
Operating Margin
22.2%
-56.4%
Net Margin
10.8%
-50.3%
Revenue YoY
10.7%
3.6%
Net Profit YoY
6.5%
-1521.8%
EPS (diluted)
$0.40
$-4.76

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.

Revenue
CNP
CNP
IP
IP
Q4 25
$2.4B
$4.7B
Q3 25
$2.0B
$6.2B
Q2 25
$2.0B
$6.8B
Q1 25
$3.0B
$5.9B
Q4 24
$2.2B
$4.6B
Q3 24
$1.8B
$4.7B
Q2 24
$1.9B
$4.7B
Q1 24
$2.6B
$4.6B
Net Profit
CNP
CNP
IP
IP
Q4 25
$264.0M
$-2.4B
Q3 25
$293.0M
$-1.1B
Q2 25
$198.0M
$75.0M
Q1 25
$297.0M
$-105.0M
Q4 24
$248.0M
$-147.0M
Q3 24
$193.0M
$150.0M
Q2 24
$228.0M
$498.0M
Q1 24
$350.0M
$56.0M
Gross Margin
CNP
CNP
IP
IP
Q4 25
32.2%
Q3 25
99.9%
31.1%
Q2 25
99.9%
27.9%
Q1 25
100.0%
27.8%
Q4 24
100.0%
29.0%
Q3 24
99.9%
28.7%
Q2 24
29.0%
Q1 24
100.0%
25.9%
Operating Margin
CNP
CNP
IP
IP
Q4 25
22.2%
-56.4%
Q3 25
25.2%
-10.8%
Q2 25
21.4%
1.7%
Q1 25
22.0%
-2.3%
Q4 24
21.9%
-4.9%
Q3 24
22.9%
5.1%
Q2 24
24.5%
6.8%
Q1 24
23.7%
3.7%
Net Margin
CNP
CNP
IP
IP
Q4 25
10.8%
-50.3%
Q3 25
14.7%
-17.7%
Q2 25
10.1%
1.1%
Q1 25
10.0%
-1.8%
Q4 24
11.3%
-3.2%
Q3 24
10.4%
3.2%
Q2 24
12.0%
10.5%
Q1 24
13.5%
1.2%
EPS (diluted)
CNP
CNP
IP
IP
Q4 25
$0.40
$-4.76
Q3 25
$0.45
$-2.09
Q2 25
$0.30
$0.14
Q1 25
$0.45
$-0.24
Q4 24
$0.37
$-0.42
Q3 24
$0.30
$0.42
Q2 24
$0.36
$1.41
Q1 24
$0.55
$0.16

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
CNP
CNP
IP
IP
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$548.0M
$1.1B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$20.6B
$8.8B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$11.2B
$14.8B
Total Assets
$46.5B
$38.0B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.84×
0.60×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CNP
CNP
IP
IP
Q4 25
$548.0M
$1.1B
Q3 25
$616.0M
$995.0M
Q2 25
$776.0M
$1.1B
Q1 25
$1.9B
$1.2B
Q4 24
$585.0M
$1.2B
Q3 24
$643.0M
$1.2B
Q2 24
$543.0M
$1.0B
Q1 24
$619.0M
$1.1B
Total Debt
CNP
CNP
IP
IP
Q4 25
$20.6B
$8.8B
Q3 25
$9.0B
Q2 25
$9.7B
Q1 25
$9.2B
Q4 24
$20.4B
$5.4B
Q3 24
$5.3B
Q2 24
$5.3B
Q1 24
$5.5B
Stockholders' Equity
CNP
CNP
IP
IP
Q4 25
$11.2B
$14.8B
Q3 25
$11.0B
$17.3B
Q2 25
$11.0B
$18.6B
Q1 25
$11.0B
$18.1B
Q4 24
$10.7B
$8.2B
Q3 24
$10.5B
$8.6B
Q2 24
$10.4B
$8.6B
Q1 24
$10.0B
$8.3B
Total Assets
CNP
CNP
IP
IP
Q4 25
$46.5B
$38.0B
Q3 25
$45.0B
$40.6B
Q2 25
$44.1B
$42.4B
Q1 25
$44.5B
$41.2B
Q4 24
$43.8B
$22.8B
Q3 24
$42.9B
$23.2B
Q2 24
$41.0B
$23.1B
Q1 24
$40.2B
$23.0B
Debt / Equity
CNP
CNP
IP
IP
Q4 25
1.84×
0.60×
Q3 25
0.52×
Q2 25
0.52×
Q1 25
0.51×
Q4 24
1.91×
0.66×
Q3 24
0.62×
Q2 24
0.62×
Q1 24
0.66×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
CNP
CNP
IP
IP
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$774.0M
$905.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-707.0M
$255.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-29.0%
5.4%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
60.7%
13.7%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
2.93×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-2.4B
$-159.0M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CNP
CNP
IP
IP
Q4 25
$774.0M
$905.0M
Q3 25
$742.0M
$605.0M
Q2 25
$560.0M
$476.0M
Q1 25
$410.0M
$-288.0M
Q4 24
$889.0M
$397.0M
Q3 24
$136.0M
$521.0M
Q2 24
$576.0M
$365.0M
Q1 24
$538.0M
$395.0M
Free Cash Flow
CNP
CNP
IP
IP
Q4 25
$-707.0M
$255.0M
Q3 25
$-480.0M
$150.0M
Q2 25
$-569.0M
$54.0M
Q1 25
$-628.0M
$-618.0M
Q4 24
$-1.1B
$137.0M
Q3 24
$-708.0M
$309.0M
Q2 24
$-236.0M
$167.0M
Q1 24
$-307.0M
$144.0M
FCF Margin
CNP
CNP
IP
IP
Q4 25
-29.0%
5.4%
Q3 25
-24.1%
2.4%
Q2 25
-29.1%
0.8%
Q1 25
-21.2%
-10.5%
Q4 24
-51.0%
3.0%
Q3 24
-38.3%
6.6%
Q2 24
-12.4%
3.5%
Q1 24
-11.8%
3.1%
Capex Intensity
CNP
CNP
IP
IP
Q4 25
60.7%
13.7%
Q3 25
61.4%
7.3%
Q2 25
57.8%
6.2%
Q1 25
35.1%
5.6%
Q4 24
91.3%
5.7%
Q3 24
45.6%
4.5%
Q2 24
42.6%
4.2%
Q1 24
32.6%
5.4%
Cash Conversion
CNP
CNP
IP
IP
Q4 25
2.93×
Q3 25
2.53×
Q2 25
2.83×
6.35×
Q1 25
1.38×
Q4 24
3.58×
Q3 24
0.70×
3.47×
Q2 24
2.53×
0.73×
Q1 24
1.54×
7.05×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CNP
CNP

Electric Segment$945.0M39%
Electric$890.0M37%
Other$603.0M25%

IP
IP

Other$2.4B52%
DS Smith Packaging$2.3B48%

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