CESC vs NLC India: Share Price, Comparison and Key Differences

August 11, 2026
Posted by: Kunal Singla
Category: News

CESC MCap Rs 21,746 Cr, PE 13.44x, ROE 12.31%, D/E 1.73, Div 3.67%. NLC India MCap Rs 42,175 Cr, PE 12.53x, ROE 16.36%, D/E 1.30, Div 1.27%.

CESC vs NLC India is a comparison power utility investors look up when evaluating two listed Indian electricity companies with different ownership and business models. CESC Limited, formerly Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation, is an RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group private utility providing generation, transmission and distribution in Kolkata and adjacent areas, with a growing renewable energy portfolio. NLC India (formerly Neyveli Lignite Corporation) is a central government PSU mining lignite from Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan, and generating coal/lignite-based and solar power through its plants. CESC vs NLC India covers a private regional utility versus a government coal and power PSU.

This CESC vs NLC India article covers reach and market position, key products, latest declared results and stock valuation. The CESC vs NLC India data below is sourced from Groww and public company filings and reflects the most recently available information at the time of writing.

Table of Contents

CESC vs NLC India: Reach and Market Position

On the CESC side of the CESC vs NLC India comparison, CESC supplies electricity to approximately 3.5 million consumers in Kolkata and surrounding areas and is expanding renewable energy capacity. Market capitalisation is Rs 21,746 Cr.

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On the NLC India side of the CESC vs NLC India comparison, NLC India mines lignite from Neyveli (Tamil Nadu) and Rajasthan and operates coal-based and solar thermal power plants with total capacity exceeding 5,000 MW. Market capitalisation is Rs 42,175 Cr.

CESC vs NLC India: Key Products and Business Mix

In the CESC vs NLC India product comparison, CESC offers: CESC earns from electricity generation (coal, gas, solar), transmission and retail distribution to Kolkata consumers. EPS is Rs 12.21. PE is 13.44x, ROE 12.31 percent, D/E 1.73. Dividend yield is 3.67 percent.

For NLC India in this CESC vs NLC India breakdown: NLC India earns from lignite mining sales and electricity generation from its coal and solar power plants. EPS is Rs 24.28. PE is 12.53x, ROE 16.36 percent, D/E 1.30. Dividend yield is 1.27 percent.

CESC vs NLC India: Latest Results

The CESC vs NLC India results for CESC: CESC has a market cap of Rs 21,746 Cr and PE of 13.44x. ROE is 12.31 percent. CESC pays a high dividend yield of 3.67 percent and has a regulated monopoly distribution business in Kolkata.

The CESC vs NLC India results for NLC India: NLC India has a market cap of Rs 42,175 Cr and PE of 12.53x. ROE is 16.36 percent. NLC India is twice the size of CESC and has a higher ROE from its integrated lignite mining and power generation model.

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CESC vs NLC India: Stock and Valuation

The CESC vs NLC India stock comparison uses the latest available market data from Groww. Investors tracking CESC vs NLC India should verify current prices on NSE or BSE before trading.

CESC vs NLC India at current valuations: CESC trades at Rs 21,746 Cr market cap, PE 13.44x, ROE 12.31 percent, Div 3.67 percent. NLC India trades at Rs 42,175 Cr market cap, PE 12.53x, ROE 16.36 percent, Div 1.27 percent. Both trade at similar PE. NLC India has a higher ROE; CESC has a much higher dividend yield.

CESC vs NLC India: Quick Comparison Table

The CESC vs NLC India comparison table below summarises the key metrics covered in this article side by side.

Parameter	CESC	NLC India
Sector	Integrated power: generation + distribution (Kolkata monopoly)	Lignite mining + coal and solar power generation (PSU)
Market Cap	Rs 21,746 Cr	Rs 42,175 Cr
P/E Ratio	13.44x	12.53x
ROE	12.31%	16.36%
Debt to Equity	1.73	1.30
Dividend Yield	3.67%	1.27%
Ownership	RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group (private)	Government of India (PSU)

Conclusion

The CESC vs NLC India comparison above covers the key data points on reach, products, results and valuation. CESC vs NLC India covers a private Kolkata utility versus a government coal and power PSU. CESC has monopoly distribution and a high dividend yield. NLC India has a higher ROE and vertical integration from lignite mining to power. CESC vs NLC India investors should review power demand, distribution tariff revisions for CESC, lignite pricing and renewable energy capacity additions for NLC India. CESC vs NLC India represent contrasting power sector risk-return profiles. Consult a SEBI-registered advisor for personalised guidance.

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Disclaimer: Data and figures in this article are sourced from publicly available information, including company results filings and exchange data, and are current as of the time of writing. These may or may not be accurate. Please verify all data with the official NSE (nseindia.com) and BSE (bseindia.com) websites before making any investment decision. Investments in securities are subject to market risk. This content is for educational purposes only and is not investment advice by Univest (SEBI RA INH000013776).

Frequently Asked Questions

What does CESC do?

Ans. CESC Limited (Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation) generates, transmits and distributes electricity to approximately 3.5 million consumers in Kolkata and adjacent areas. It operates as a regulated private utility and is part of the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group.

What does NLC India do?

Ans. NLC India (Neyveli Lignite Corporation) is a central government PSU that mines lignite (brown coal) from its Neyveli mines in Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan, and generates power from lignite-based and solar thermal plants. It sells power and lignite to state power utilities.

What is lignite?

Ans. Lignite, also called brown coal, is a soft, low-grade coal with lower energy content than hard coal. It is mined near the surface and used directly in mine-mouth power plants. NLC India’s Neyveli lignite mines are among the largest in Asia.

Does CESC pay dividends?

Ans. Yes. CESC pays a dividend yield of approximately 3.67 percent – one of the higher yields in Indian power utilities.

Is NLC India a PSU?

Ans. Yes. NLC India is a Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the Ministry of Coal. The Government of India holds a majority stake.

Which is larger, CESC or NLC India?

Ans. NLC India at Rs 42,175 Cr is approximately 1.9 times larger than CESC at Rs 21,746 Cr.

Are CESC and NLC India in Nifty 50?

Ans. Neither is in Nifty 50. Both are tracked in power sector and broader indices.

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Author: Kunal Singla

Kunal Singla is the Associate Director - Research at Univest, leading quantitative equity research, intraday trading setups, and derivatives strategy. With 4+ years of experience in Indian equity markets, he combines rigorous quantitative methods with classical technical analysis to build high-conviction research frameworks for retail and advisory clients. He holds an MSc from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi — one of India's most selective institutions — and has completed the Certificate in Quantitative Finance (CQF), a globally recognised programme covering derivatives pricing, risk modelling, machine learning for finance, and advanced portfolio theory. This combination places him in a small group of Indian analysts with both deep academic training in quantitative methods and SEBI-recognised research credentials. Kunal holds seven SEBI-recognised NISM certifications spanning research, derivatives, portfolio management, and securities operations: Series-XV (Research Analyst), Series-XXI-A (Portfolio Managers), Series-XVI (Commodity Derivatives), Series-VIII (Equity Derivatives), Series-VII (SORM), Series-V-A (Mutual Fund Distributors), and Series-I (Currency Derivatives). At Univest — India's SEBI-registered research and advisory platform — Kunal leads research inputs for Pro Lite, Pro Super, Pro Gold, and Pro Commodity advisory services, alongside publishing intraday stock picks on Univest Blogs.