128.55p
Centrica PLC (CNA) is a publicly traded utilities - independent power producers business based in the UK which employs around 21,050 staff. Centrica is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and traded in sterling. Its current price of 128.55p is 1.9% up on its price a month ago (126.2p).
How to buy shares in Centrica
- Choose a platform. If you're a beginner, our share trading platform picks below can help you choose.
- Open your account. Provide your personal information and sign up.
- Confirm your payment details. You'll need to fund your account with a bank transfer, debit card or credit card.
- Search the platform for stock code: CNA in this case.
- Research shares. The platform should provide the latest information available.
- Buy your shares. Place a market order or limit order with your preferred number of shares. It's that simple.
Our top picks for where to buy Centrica shares
- Commission-free stock trades
- Receive dividend payments
- Invest in fractional shares
- Commission-free trading
- Invest in fractional shares
- Over 5,400 stocks & ETFs
- No commissions for funds
- Expert research and insights
- Wide range of tax wrappers
Fees for buying 100x Centrica shares with popular platforms
Share prices fluctuate in real time, so the costs presented here should be considered as a guide only. They do not incorporate stamp duty. Always refer to the platform itself for availability and pricing – which may differ from our information.
Platform | Customer feedback | Monthly fee | Min. initial deposit | Trading fee estimate | Link |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
★★★★★ | £0 | $100 | £0.00 £128.55 total |
Capital at risk | |
★★★★★ | £0 | No minimum | £0.00 £128.55 total |
Capital at risk | |
★★★★★ | £0 | £1 | £11.95 £140.50 total |
Capital at risk | |
★★★★★ | 0% - 0.25% | £100 | £0.00 £128.55 total |
Capital at risk | |
★★★★★ | £0 | No minimum | £0.00 £128.55 total |
Capital at risk |
Full comparison of share dealing platforms
All investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.
Alternative ways to invest in Centrica
Buying shares in just one company is generally considered a riskier bet than investing in a range of investments - AKA a "diversified portfolio". Experts generally recommend holding a mix of investments in specific assets and funds. Funds are ready-made portfolios of multiple companies' shares (potentially including Centrica), and the idea is that drops in the value of one constituent company's share price might be offset by rises in others.
Centrica is a major part of the London stock exchange, so it's included in many global funds and investment trusts, as well as tracker-style exchange traded funds (ETFs).
Icon | Fund | 5-year performance | 1-year performance (to October 2023) | Link to invest |
---|---|---|---|---|
Vanguard FTSE 250 UCITS ETF Distributing (VMID) | 1.77% | -0.53% | Capital at risk | |
Invesco FTSE 250 UCITS ETF (S250) | 1.20% | -0.66% | Capital at risk | |
Xtrackers FTSE 250 UCITS ETF 1D (XMCX) | 1.08% | -0.67% | Capital at risk | |
HSBC FTSE 250 UCITS ETF GBP (HMCX) | 0.22% | -0.74% | Capital at risk | |
iShares FTSE 250 UCITS ETF (MIDD) | 0.16% | -0.78% | Invest with eToroCapital at risk |
All investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.
Is it a good time to buy Centrica stock?
Only you can make the decision on the time to leap... but here's some supporting information and analysis.
Share price volatility
Over the last 12 months, Centrica's shares have ranged in value from as little as 98.3886 up to 172.13. A popular way to gauge a stock's volatility is its "beta".
Beta is a measure of a share's volatility in relation to the market. The market (LSE average) beta is 1, while Centrica's is 1.096. This would suggest that Centrica's shares are a little bit more volatile than the average for this exchange and represent, relatively-speaking, a slightly higher risk (but potentially also market-beating returns).
Historical closes compared with the last close of 128.55
1 week (2024-03-20) | 2.68% |
---|---|
1 month (2024-02-27) | 1.86% |
3 months (2023-12-27) | -9.06% |
6 months (2023-09-27) | -16.88% |
1 year (2023-03-27) | 26.09% |
3 years (2021-03-25) | 149.81% |
5 years (2019-03-27) | 11.88% |
The gauge below shows real-time ratings that are based on 26 popular indicators such as moving averages, for specific time periods. It's not a recommendation but is simply technical analysis that can form part of your research.
Finder might not agree with the analysis and we take no responsibility. We also give no representations or warranty on the accuracy or completeness of the information provided on this page.
- Start investing from $50
- Pay no stamp duty on UK shares
- Commission-free trading. Other fees may apply.
All investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.
Is Centrica under- or over-valued?
Valuing a stock is incredibly difficult, and any metric has to be viewed as part of a bigger picture of overall performance. However, analysts commonly use some key metrics to help gauge value. Check out the Centrica P/E ratio, PEG ratio and EBITDA
Centrica's current share price divided by its per-share earnings (EPS) over a 12-month period gives a "trailing price/earnings ratio" of roughly 2x. In other words, Centrica shares trade at around 2x recent earnings.
That's relatively low compared to, say, the trailing 12-month P/E ratio for the FTSE 250 at the end of September 2019 (19.71). The low P/E ratio could mean that investors are pessimistic about the outlook for the shares or simply that they're under-valued.
However, Centrica's P/E ratio is best considered in relation to those of others within the utilities - independent power producers industry or those of similar companies.
- SSE (SSE.LSE): 31.28
- National Grid (NG.LSE): 15.33
Centrica's "price/earnings-to-growth ratio" can be calculated by dividing its P/E ratio by its growth – to give 0.4523. A PEG ratio below 1 can be interpreted as meaning the shares are not overvalued given the current rate of growth.
The PEG ratio provides a broader view than just the P/E ratio, as it gives more insight into Centrica's future profitability. By accounting for growth, it could also help you if you're comparing the share prices of multiple high-growth companies.
However, it's sensible to consider Centrica's PEG ratio in relation to those of similar companies.
- SSE (SSE.LSE): 3.82
- National Grid (NG.LSE): 3.31
- Electricite de France S-A (EDF.PA): 1.38
What's Centrica's ESG track record?
Environmental, social and governance (known as ESG) criteria are a set of three factors used to measure the sustainability and social impact of companies like Centrica.
Overall Centrica ESG score
Centrica's total ESG risk: 22.68
Socially conscious investors use ESG scores to screen how an investment aligns with their worldview, and Centrica's overall score of 22.68 (as at 12/31/2018) is pretty good – landing it in it in the 35th percentile of companies rated in the same sector.
ESG scores are increasingly used to estimate the level of risk a company like Centrica is exposed to within the areas of "environmental" (carbon footprint, resource use etc.), "social" (health and safety, human rights etc.), and "governance" (anti-corruption, tax transparency etc.).
To gain some more context, you can compare Centrica's total ESG risk score against those of similar companies.
- SSE (SSE.LSE): 34.80
- National Grid (NG.LSE): 25.67
- Electricite de France S-A (EDF.PA): 25.35
Centrica's environmental score: 10.03/100
Centrica's environmental score of 10.03 puts it squarely in the 3rd percentile of companies rated in the same sector. This could suggest that Centrica is a leader in its sector terms of its environmental impact, and exposed to a lower level of risk.
Centrica's social score: 12.01/100
Centrica's social score of 12.01 puts it squarely in the 3rd percentile of companies rated in the same sector. This could suggest that Centrica is a leader in its sector when it comes to taking good care of its workforce and the communities it impacts.
Centrica's governance score: 6.64/100
Centrica's governance score puts it squarely in the 3rd percentile of companies rated in the same sector. That could suggest that Centrica is a leader in its sector when it comes to responsible management and strategy, and exposed to a lower level of risk.
Centrica's controversy score: 2/5
ESG scores also evaluate any incidences of controversy that a company has been involved in. A high-profile company, Centrica scored a 2 out of 5 for controversy – the second-highest score possible, reflecting that Centrica has, for the most part, managed to keep its nose clean.
Wondering how that compares? Below are the controversy scores of similar companies.
- SSE (SSE.LSE): 2
- National Grid (NG.LSE): 2
- Electricite de France S-A (EDF.PA): 2
Sign up for weekly expert share tips
Join 100,000 subscribers who are notified about expert share tips. Plus a chance to win £800!
By signing up you agree to receive emails from Finder and to the privacy policy and terms & conditions.
Frequently asked questions
All investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.
More guides on Finder
-
How to buy PowerHouse Energy Group shares
Ever wondered how to buy shares in PowerHouse Energy Group? We explain how and compare a range of providers that can give you access to many brands, including PowerHouse Energy Group.
-
How to buy Petro Matad shares
Thinking about buying shares in Petro Matad? We explain how to do it and compare a range of providers who will give you access to global markets.
-
How to buy Linde plc Ordinary Shares shares
Ever wondered how to buy shares in Linde? We explain how and compare a range of providers that can give you access to many brands, including Linde.
-
How to buy Tullow Oil shares
Find out how to buy shares in Tullow Oil, see its share prices over the last three months and check out our must-do checklist if you’re looking to invest.
-
How to buy Petrofac shares
Find out how to buy shares in Petrofac, see Petrofac’s share prices over the last three months and check out our must-do checklist if you’re looking to invest.
-
How to buy NextEnergy Solar Fund shares
Find out how to buy shares in NextEnergy Solar, see NextEnergy Solar’s share prices over the last three months and check out our must-do checklist if you’re looking to invest.
-
How to buy ContourGlobal shares
Ever wondered how to buy shares in ContourGlobal? We explain how and compare a range of providers that can give you access to many brands, including ContourGlobal.
-
How to buy SSE shares
We walk you through how to buy shares in SSE, covering all of the costs and fees you could come up against. We also have a checklist for anyone looking to invest in a company.
-
How to invest in gas
Learn how to invest in natural gas, and about gas’s historical performance as an investment. Find out all the need-to-knows with our extensive guide.
-
How to invest in renewables
As the demand for sustainable energy sources rises, renewable energy production is booming. Here’s a guide to the different investments options, the benefits of investing in the sector and what the risks are.