20 Best Performing Dividend Stocks in 2025

12. NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NRG)

YTD Return as of December 30: 72.8%

Dividend Yield as of December 30: 1.10%

NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NRG) is among the best-performing stocks to invest in.

NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NRG) is well-positioned to capture rising electricity demand in Texas. A growing share of that demand is coming from data centers, which need steady, large-scale power to run AI models and cloud computing systems. That shift is starting to show up clearly in the numbers.

Earlier in November, the company said it expects standalone core profit for full-year 2026 to come in above its updated 2025 range. NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NRG) now sees 2026 core profit between $3.93 billion and $4.18 billion. That compares with revised 2025 guidance of $3.88 billion to $4.03 billion, driven by stronger power demand.

Late in the quarter, NRG secured a $562 million low-interest loan from the Texas Public Utility Commission. The funding will support construction of the 689 MW Cedar Bayou power plant, with financing that began in September 2025 and runs through 2028. The company also expanded its data center footprint. During the quarter, it signed two new long-term retail power agreements totaling 150 MW at PJM sites. With those deals, NRG’s total data center-related agreements now stand at 445 MW across the ERCOT and PJM markets. New facilities tied to these contracts are expected to come online between 2028 and 2032.

Capital returns remain part of the story as NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NRG)’s board approved a new $3 billion share buyback program running through 2028 and authorized an 8% dividend increase to $1.90 per share. Both moves align with the company’s stated long-term growth target of 7%–9%. Management also reaffirmed its current-year profit outlook, maintaining guidance of $7.55 to $8.15 per share. In Texas, performance continues to improve. Adjusted core profit in the utility’s Texas business jumped 38% year over year to $807 million.

NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NRG) operates as a major US energy provider, generating and selling electricity and natural gas to homes and businesses through a diversified portfolio of power sources.