Contact Energy (CEN) Stock Price, Fundamentals & Analysis

What CEN does

Contact Energy (CEN) is a New Zealand-based energy generator and retailer operating on the ASX. Through its Wholesale and Retail segments, it sells electricity to the wholesale market and to commercial and industrial customers, and delivers electricity, fibre and wireless broadband, mobile plans, and other products to mass-market customers. It also supplies piped and bottled gas, provides broadband modems, steam, and geothermal well services, and runs solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, thermal, and battery storage assets.

Key numbers explained

• 6.92 AUD is the current share price, the amount you would pay for one share right now.
• The trailing P/E ratio of 21 shows how many years of current earnings it would take to equal the share price; a higher number can mean the market expects faster growth.
• A dividend yield of 4.6% means the annual dividend represents about 4.6% of the current share price, a common way income-focused investors compare payouts.
• The ex-dividend date of 17 aug. 2026 is the cut-off: you must own the stock before this date to receive the next dividend.
• 88% of earnings paid out as dividends indicates a high payout ratio, meaning most profit is returned to shareholders rather than retained for growth.
• Beta of 0.11 suggests the share price tends to move much less than the overall market, a typical trait of utilities.
• The 52-week range of 6,84 – 8,59 shows the lowest and highest prices over the past year, giving a sense of recent volatility.
• Market cap of 7,41 mld. AUD reflects the total value of all outstanding shares and places the company among large-cap peers like Origin Energy (ORG), Meridian Energy (MEZ), and APA Group (APA).

What to watch

• Revenue growth of -6.2% year over year shows a recent decline in top-line sales, which can affect future earnings.
• Profit margin of 13% and operating margin of 25% indicate how much of each revenue dollar remains as profit after costs and operating expenses.
• Return on equity of 10.6% measures how effectively the company generates profit from shareholders’ capital.
• Debt-to-equity ratio of 58.3% shows the proportion of financing that comes from debt, a factor in the company’s financial risk profile.
• Price-to-book of 1.77 compares the share price to the company’s book value per share, a common way to assess whether the market values the company above or below its accounting net assets.
• The next earnings date of 10 aug. 2026 is when the company is scheduled to report its latest financial results, a common catalyst for price movement.
• As a utility, CEN is sensitive to regulatory decisions, interest rate changes, and energy price fluctuations, all of which can affect both earnings and dividend sustainability.