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Contact EnergyASX:CEN +1.07%61 Forward PE Ratio is 22.12 as of Jul. 15, 2026. GuruFocus rates ASX:CEN with a GF Score™ of 61/100 and a GF Value™ of A$6.74 (Modestly Overvalued). The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review. Among 204 Utilities - Independent Power Producers companies, Contact Energy ranks worse than 71.08% on this metric.
Contact Energy (ASX:CEN) Forward PE Ratio Explanation
The Forward PE Ratio of a company is often used to compare current earnings to estimated future earnings, as well as gaining a clearer picture of what earnings will look like without charges and other accounting adjustments. If earnings are expected to grow in the future, the Forward PE Ratio will be lower than the current PE Ratio. This measure is also used to compare one company to another with a forward-looking focus.
Trailing PE Ratio relies on what is already done. It uses the current share price and divides by the total EPS (Basic) over the past 12 months. PE Ratio can be affected by Non Operating Income such as the sale of part of businesses. This may increase for the current year or quarter dramatically. But it cannot be repeated over and over. Therefore PE Ratio without NRI is a more accurate indication of valuation than PE Ratio .
Contact Energy Forward PE Ratio Related Terms
Contact Energy Forward PE Ratio Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Contact Energy's Forward PE Ratio can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Contact Energy Forward PE Ratio Chart
Contact Energy Annual Data
Trend
2016-06
2017-06
2018-06
2019-06
2020-06
2021-06
2022-06
2023-06
2024-06
2025-06
Forward PE Ratio
21.10
23.64
27.55
34.72
30.86
38.17
38.61
33.22
22.42
21.92
Contact Energy Semi-Annual Data
2015-12
2016-06
2016-12
2017-06
2017-12
2018-06
2018-12
2019-06
2019-12
2020-06
2020-12
2021-06
2021-12
2022-06
2022-12
2023-06
2023-12
2024-06
2024-12
2025-06
2025-12
Forward PE Ratio
22.03
21.10
21.10
23.64
25.45
27.55
22.27
34.72
36.23
30.86
44.05
38.17
36.10
38.61
35.46
33.22
28.90
22.42
23.63
21.92
23.30
Contact Energy Forward PE Ratio Competitor Comparison
For the Utilities - Renewable subindustry, Contact Energy's Forward PE Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and Forward PE Ratio data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Contact Energy Forward PE Ratio vs Utilities - Independent Power Producers Industry
For the Utilities - Independent Power Producers industry and Utilities sector, Contact Energy's Forward PE Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Contact Energy's Forward PE Ratio falls into.
It's a measure of the price-to-earnings ratio (PE Ratio) using forecasted earnings for the calculation. While the earnings used are just an estimate and are not as reliable as current earnings data, there is still benefit in estimated P/E analysis. The forecasted earnings used in the formula can either be for the next 12 months or for the next full-year fiscal period.
Contact Energy (ASX:CEN) has a Forward PE Ratio of 22.12 as of Jul. 15, 2026. Forward P/E ratio is the share price dividend by the expected per-share earnings in the next 12 months. View historical data on Contact Energy and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Contact Energy ranks #145 out of 204 companies in the Utilities - Independent Power Producers industry, placing it in the top 71.1%.
Is Contact Energy's Forward PE Ratio too high?
Contact Energy's current Forward PE Ratio is 22.12. The Utilities - Independent Power Producers industry median Forward PE Ratio is 15.31. Contact Energy's value of 22.12 is 44.5% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Contact Energy ranks #145 out of 204 companies in the Utilities - Independent Power Producers industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Contact Energy has a GF Score™ of 61/100 and is considered Modestly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Contact Energy's Forward PE Ratio compare to competitors?
According to the Utilities - Independent Power Producers industry distribution chart, Contact Energy ranks #145 out of 204 companies for Forward PE Ratio. This places Contact Energy in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Forward PE Ratio is 15.31. Contact Energy's value of 22.12 is 44.5% above this benchmark. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Forward PE Ratio for an Utilities - Independent Power Producers company?
The median Forward PE Ratio among Utilities - Independent Power Producers companies is 15.31, based on 204 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Forward PE Ratio significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Forward PE Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Contact Energy's current Forward PE Ratio of 22.12 is 44.5% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Forward PE Ratio mean?
A high Forward PE Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Forward P/E ratio is the share price dividend by the expected per-share earnings in the next 12 months. View historical data on Contact Energy and its competitors. For the Utilities - Independent Power Producers industry, the median Forward PE Ratio is 15.31 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Contact Energy's current Forward PE Ratio is 22.12. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Contact Energy stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Contact Energy (ASX:CEN) is currently considered Modestly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is A$6.74, compared to a current price of A$7.58 — trading 12.5% above its estimated fair value. The current Forward PE Ratio is 22.12 and 44.5% above the Utilities - Independent Power Producers industry median of 15.31. Contact Energy's overall GF Score™ is 61/100 with 5 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Forward PE Ratio calculated?
Forward PE Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Contact Energy (ASX:CEN), the current Forward PE Ratio is 22.12 as of Jul. 15, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Contact Energy (ASX:CEN) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Contact Energy stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of A$7.58 is trading 12.5% above its estimated GF Value™ of A$6.74.
GuruFocus considers Contact Energy to be Modestly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for ASX:CEN:
Forward PE Ratio: 22.12
GF Value™: A$6.74 vs. price of A$7.58 (12.5% above fair value)
Industry Position: 44.5% above the Utilities - Independent Power Producers median (#145 of 204)
No single metric tells the full story. See the ASX:CEN stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Contact Energy is a diversified and integrated energy company. It owns a fleet of hydro, geothermal, and gas-fired generation assets, which produce more than 25% of New Zealand's electricity. It also retails electricity and gas to nearly half a million customers.
61GF Score
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