NRG jumps as Jefferies lifts target to $198 on data-center power demand
NRG Energy shares rose about 3% Monday after Jefferies raised its price target to $198, citing accelerating data-center-driven power demand. The call builds on NRG’s expanded generation footprint following its LS Power asset acquisition that added roughly 13 GW of gas capacity and the CPower platform.
1. What’s moving the stock today
NRG Energy (NRG) is moving higher in Monday trading as bullish sell-side commentary refreshes the AI/data-center power-demand narrative. Before the market open on April 13, 2026, Jefferies raised its price target on NRG to $198, framing the setup around sustained growth in data-center electricity needs and the value of flexible, dispatchable generation in tight power markets. (investing.com)
2. Why the market is leaning in
Investor focus has shifted toward companies positioned for rising U.S. load growth, and NRG has become a direct beneficiary of that theme after materially expanding its generation portfolio. NRG completed its LS Power asset acquisition on January 30, 2026, adding 18 natural-gas-fired facilities with about 13 GW of capacity and bringing in CPower’s commercial and industrial virtual power plant platform—assets that increase NRG’s leverage to peak-demand and reliability pricing. (investing.com)
3. What to watch next
With the stock already at elevated levels, follow-through will likely depend on incremental confirmation: additional data-center contracting headlines, updated medium-term EBITDA/free-cash-flow targets tied to the expanded fleet, and any regulatory or market-structure developments in key power markets where NRG operates. Traders will also watch whether more firms follow Jefferies with target increases as the market recalibrates the earnings power of dispatchable generation amid the current demand cycle. (investing.com)