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<P STYLE="line-height:3.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:4pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>UNITED STATES </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Washington, D.C. 20549 </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center>
<P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>FORM <FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap">8-K</FONT> </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center>
<P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>CURRENT
REPORT </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Pursuant to Section&nbsp;13 or 15(d) </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November&nbsp;27, 2013 </B></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center> <P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:24pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>CENTERPOINT ENERGY, INC. </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center>
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<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><B>Texas</B></TD>
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<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><B>1-31447</B></TD>
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<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><B>74-0694415</B></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(State or other jurisdiction</B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>of incorporation)</B></P></TD>
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<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Commission</B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>File Number)</B></P></TD>
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<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(IRS Employer</B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Identification No.)</B></P></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>1111 Louisiana</B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Houston, Texas</B></P></TD>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center"><B>77002</B></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><B>(Address of principal executive offices)</B></TD>
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<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><B>(Zip Code)</B></TD></TR>
</TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Registrant&#146;s telephone number, including area code: (713)&nbsp;207-1111 </B></P>
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<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any
of the following provisions (<I>see </I>General Instruction A.2. below): </P> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:10pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">ITEM&nbsp;7.01. REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">On November&nbsp;27, 2013, Walter L. Fitzgerald, Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer of CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
(&#147;CenterPoint Energy&#148;), adopted a pre-arranged trading plan to (i)&nbsp;exercise options to acquire up to 8,000 shares of CenterPoint Energy common stock originally granted in 2004 and set to expire in 2014 and (ii)&nbsp;sell certain of
the shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of such options to fund the exercise price for the options and any tax liability and fees related to the exercise. The plan expires in February 2014. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The transactions under the plan will be disclosed publicly through Form 144 and Form 4 filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The plan was adopted in accordance with guidelines specified under Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and CenterPoint Energy&#146;s policies regarding stock transactions. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Rule 10b5-1 permits the implementation of a written plan for selling stock at times when insiders are not in possession of material nonpublic
information, and allows them to sell stock on a regular basis and in a non-discretionary manner, regardless of any subsequent material nonpublic information they receive. </P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">SIGNATURE </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. </P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD VALIGN="top" COLSPAN="3">CENTERPOINT ENERGY, INC.</TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-left:1.00em; text-indent:-1.00em; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Date: December&nbsp;2, 2013</P></TD>
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<TD VALIGN="top">By:</TD>
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<TD VALIGN="top" STYLE="BORDER-BOTTOM:1px solid #000000">/s/ Christopher J. Arntzen</TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-left:1.00em; text-indent:-1.00em; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Christopher J. Arntzen</P></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="top">Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary</TD></TR>
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Form 8-K
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
8-K
CURRENT
REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 27, 2013
CENTERPOINT ENERGY, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Texas
1-31447
74-0694415
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
(Commission
File Number)
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)
1111 Louisiana
Houston, Texas
77002
(Address of principal executive offices)
(Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (713) 207-1111
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any
of the following provisions (
see
General Instruction A.2. below):
¨
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
¨
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
¨
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
¨
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
ITEM 7.01. REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE.
On November 27, 2013, Walter L. Fitzgerald, Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer of CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
("CenterPoint Energy"), adopted a pre-arranged trading plan to (i) exercise options to acquire up to 8,000 shares of CenterPoint Energy common stock originally granted in 2004 and set to expire in 2014 and (ii) sell certain of
the shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of such options to fund the exercise price for the options and any tax liability and fees related to the exercise. The plan expires in February 2014.
The transactions under the plan will be disclosed publicly through Form 144 and Form 4 filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The plan was adopted in accordance with guidelines specified under Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and CenterPoint Energy's policies regarding stock transactions.
Rule 10b5-1 permits the implementation of a written plan for selling stock at times when insiders are not in possession of material nonpublic
information, and allows them to sell stock on a regular basis and in a non-discretionary manner, regardless of any subsequent material nonpublic information they receive.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
CENTERPOINT ENERGY, INC.
Date: December 2, 2013
By:
/s/ Christopher J. Arntzen
Christopher J. Arntzen
Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary