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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) October 28, 2021

Commission |  | Registrant; State of Incorporation; |  | IRS Employer
File Number |  | Address; and Telephone Number |  | Identification No.
1-9513 |  | CMS ENERGY CORPORATION (A Michigan Corporation) One Energy Plaza Jackson, Michigan 49201 (517) 788-0550 |  | 38-2726431
1-5611 |  | CONSUMERS ENERGY COMPANY (A Michigan Corporation) One Energy Plaza Jackson, Michigan 49201 (517) 788-0550 |  | 38-0442310

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:

¨ 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))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class |  | Trading Symbol(s) |  | Name of each exchange on which registered
CMS Energy Corporation Common Stock, $0.01 par value |  | CMS |  | New York Stock Exchange
CMS Energy Corporation 5.625% Junior Subordinated Notes due 2078 |  | CMSA |  | New York Stock Exchange
CMS Energy Corporation 5.875% Junior Subordinated Notes due 2078 |  | CMSC |  | New York Stock Exchange
CMS Energy Corporation 5.875% Junior Subordinated Notes due 2079 |  | CMSD |  | New York Stock Exchange
CMS Energy Corporation, Depositary Shares, each representing a 1/1,000th interest in a share of 4.200% Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series C |  | CMS PRC |  | New York Stock Exchange
Consumers Energy Company Cumulative Preferred Stock, $1.00 par value: $4.50 Series |  | CMS-PB |  | New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company: CMS Energy Corporation ¨ Consumers Energy Company ¨

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. CMS Energy Corporation ¨ Consumers Energy Company ¨

Co-Registrant CIK | 0000201533
Co-Registrant Amendment Flag | false
Co-Registrant Form Type | 8-K
Co-Registrant DocumentPeriodEndDate | 2021-10-28
Co-Registrant Written Communications | false
Co-Registrant Solicitating Materials | false
Co-Registrant PreCommencement Tender Offer | false
Co-Registrant PreCommencement Issuer Tender Offer | false
Emerging Growth Company | false

Item 2.02. Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

On October 28, 2021, CMS Energy Corporation (“CMS Energy”) issued a News Release, in which it announced its 2021 third quarter results. Attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this report and incorporated herein by reference is a copy of the CMS Energy News Release, furnished as a part of this report.

Exhibit 99.1 contains certain financial measures that are considered “non-GAAP financial measures” as defined in Securities and Exchange Commission rules. Other than forward-looking earnings guidance, Exhibit 99.1 contains a reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. Adjustments could include items such as discontinued operations, asset sales, impairments, restructuring costs, changes in accounting principles, changes in federal tax policy, regulatory items from prior years, unrealized gains or losses from mark-to-market adjustments recognized in net income related to CMS Enterprises’ interest expense, or other items. Because CMS Energy is not able to estimate the impact of specific line items, which have the potential to significantly impact reported earnings in future periods, Exhibit 99.1 does not contain reported earnings guidance nor a reconciliation for the comparable future period earnings. Management views adjusted earnings as a key measure of the company’s present operating financial performance and uses adjusted earnings for external communications with analysts and investors. Internally, the company uses adjusted earnings to measure and assess performance. The adjusted earnings should be considered supplemental information to assist in understanding our business results, rather than as a substitute for the reported earnings. All references to net income refer to net income available to common stockholders. All references to reported earnings per share from continuing operations refer to Income from continuing operations per average common share available to common stockholders on a diluted basis.

Item 7.01. Regulation FD Disclosure.

The information set forth in the CMS Energy News Release dated October 28, 2021, attached as Exhibit 99.1, is incorporated by reference in response to this Item 7.01.

CMS Energy will hold a webcast to discuss its 2021 third quarter results and provide a business and financial outlook on October 28 at 9:30 a.m. (ET). A copy of the CMS Energy presentation is furnished as Exhibit 99.2 to this report. A webcast of the presentation will be available on the CMS Energy website, www.cmsenergy.com.

In accordance with General Instruction B.2 of Form 8-K, the information in this Current Report on Form 8-K, including Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2, shall not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933.

Investors and others should note that CMS Energy routinely posts important information on its website and considers the Investor Relations section, www.cmsenergy.com/investor-relations, a channel of distribution.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

| Exhibit Index
99.1 | CMS Energy News Release dated October 28, 2021
99.2 | CMS Energy presentation dated October 28, 2021
104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (the cover page XBRL tags are embedded in the Inline XBRL document).

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrants have duly caused this report to be signed on their behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

| CMS ENERGY CORPORATION
Dated: October 28, 2021 | By: | /s/ Rejji P. Hayes
|  | Rejji P. Hayes
|  | Executive Vice President and
|  | Chief Financial Officer

| CONSUMERS ENERGY COMPANY
Dated: October 28, 2021 | By: | /s/ Rejji P. Hayes
|  | Rejji P. Hayes
|  | Executive Vice President and
|  | Chief Financial Officer