Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL) Sets New 12-Month High Following Analyst Upgrade

Xcel Energy Inc. (NASDAQ:XEL) reached a new 52-week high on Monday after KeyCorp raised their price target on the stock from $66.00 to $69.00. KeyCorp currently has an overweight rating on the stock. Xcel Energy traded as high as $65.09 and last traded at $64.48, with a volume of 17562 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $64.57.

XEL has been the topic of a number of other reports. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on Xcel Energy from $57.00 to $63.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. Argus upgraded shares of Xcel Energy from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $68.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Monday, August 26th. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on shares of Xcel Energy in a research note on Thursday, September 19th. They set a “hold” rating and a $70.00 target price on the stock. UBS Group increased their price objective on Xcel Energy from $66.00 to $67.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, September 20th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on Xcel Energy from $68.00 to $73.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 25th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $64.36.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Xcel Energy

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. TruNorth Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Xcel Energy during the second quarter worth about $30,000. American National Bank acquired a new position in Xcel Energy during the second quarter worth about $32,000. Quarry LP acquired a new position in Xcel Energy during the fourth quarter worth about $34,000. Kimelman & Baird LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Xcel Energy in the second quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Finally, Rothschild Investment LLC purchased a new position in shares of Xcel Energy during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $37,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.38% of the company’s stock.

Xcel Energy Trading Up 0.0 %

The stock has a market cap of $36.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.62, a PEG ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 0.38. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $61.22 and a 200 day simple moving average of $56.59. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 0.97.

Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The company reported $0.54 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.57 by ($0.03). The firm had revenue of $3.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.29 billion. Xcel Energy had a return on equity of 10.94% and a net margin of 13.46%. Xcel Energy’s revenue for the quarter was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.52 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Xcel Energy Inc. will post 3.55 EPS for the current year.

Xcel Energy Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, October 20th. Investors of record on Friday, September 13th will be paid a $0.548 dividend. This is a positive change from Xcel Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.55. This represents a $2.19 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.36%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 13th. Xcel Energy’s dividend payout ratio is presently 65.77%.

Xcel Energy Company Profile

Xcel Energy Inc, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, purchasing, transmission, distribution, and sale of electricity. It operates through Regulated Electric Utility, Regulated Natural Gas Utility, and All Other segments. The company generates electricity through wind, nuclear, hydroelectric, biomass, and solar energy sources, as well as coal, natural gas, oil, wood, and refuse-derived fuels.