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Changes in Capital Structure
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2024
Equity [Abstract]  
Changes in Capital Structure Changes in Capital Structure
As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company had 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock authorized and 500,000,000 shares of common stock authorized. The following table reflects the changes in NRG's preferred and common stock issued and outstanding:
PreferredCommon
Issued and OutstandingIssuedTreasuryOutstanding
Balance as of December 31, 2023650,000 267,330,470 (59,199,520)208,130,950 
Shares issued under LTIPs— 1,198,542 — 1,198,542 
Shares repurchased — — (1,163,230)(1,163,230)
Retirement of treasury stock— (1,163,230)1,163,230 — 
Balance as of March 31, 2024650,000 267,365,782 (59,199,520)208,166,262 
Shares issued under LTIPs— 163,823 — 163,823 
Shares issued under ESPP— — 145,562 145,562 
Balance as of April 30, 2024
650,000 267,529,605 (59,053,958)208,475,647 
Common Stock
Share Repurchases
On June 22, 2023, NRG revised its long-term capital allocation policy to target allocating approximately 80% of cash available for allocation, after debt reduction, to be returned to shareholders. As part of the revised capital allocation framework, the Company announced an increase to its share repurchase authorization to $2.7 billion, to be executed through 2025.
On November 6, 2023, the Company executed Accelerated Share Repurchase agreements to repurchase a total of $950 million of NRG's outstanding common stock. Under the ASR agreements, the Company received shares of NRG's common stock on specified settlement dates. The total number of shares purchased pursuant to the ASR agreements were generally based on the volume-weighted average prices of NRG's common stock during the term of each ASR agreement, less a discount. In 2023, the Company recorded the shares received in treasury stock at fair value based on the volume-weighted average closing prices of $833 million, with the remaining $117 million recorded in additional paid-in-capital, representing the value of the forward contracts to purchase additional shares. The ASR program concluded on March 28, 2024. The Company transferred the $117 million from additional paid-in-capital to treasury stock upon receipt of the final share settlements in 2024. The following table summarizes the shares received under the ASR program:
Average price paid per share(a)
Total number of shares received
November 2023 initial settlements4,494,224 
December 2023 interim settlements13,181,918 
January 2024 final settlements770,205 
March 2024 final settlements393,025 
November 6, 2023 $950 million ASR program
$50.4318,839,372 
(a)Excludes the impact of excise tax incurred

The Company completed $1.2 billion of share repurchases under the $2.7 billion authorization in 2023, which included $950 million through the ASR programs and $200 million through open market repurchases. As of March 31, 2024, $1.5 billion is remaining under the $2.7 billion authorization.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
The Company offers participation in the ESPP which allows eligible employees to elect to withhold between 1% and 10% of their eligible compensation to purchase shares of NRG common stock at the lesser of 90% of its market value on the offering date or 90% of the fair market value on the exercise date. An offering date occurs each April 1 and October 1. An exercise date occurs each September 30 and March 31.
NRG Common Stock Dividends
During the first quarter of 2024, NRG increased the annual dividend to $1.63 from $1.51 per share and expects to target an annual dividend growth rate of 7%-9% per share in subsequent years. A quarterly dividend of $0.4075 per share was paid on the Company's common stock during the three months ended March 31, 2024. On April 17, 2024, NRG declared a quarterly dividend on the Company's common stock of $0.4075 per share, payable on May 15, 2024 to stockholders of record as of May 1, 2024.
The Company's common stock dividends are subject to available capital, market conditions, and compliance with associated laws, regulations and other contractual obligations.
Retirement of Treasury Stock
In the first quarter of 2024, the Company retired 1,163,230 shares of treasury stock. These retired shares are now included in NRG's pool of authorized but unissued shares. The retired stock had an average price per share of $32.67 for a total carrying value of approximately $38 million. The Company's accounting policy upon the formal retirement of treasury stock is to deduct its par value from common stock and to reflect any excess of cost over par value as a deduction from additional paid-in-capital.
Preferred Stock
Series A Preferred Stock Dividends
During the quarter ended March 31, 2024, the Company declared and paid a semi-annual 10.25% dividend of $51.25 per share on its outstanding Series A Preferred Stock, totaling $33 million.