NorthWestern Energy Group (NYSE:NWE) Reaches New 52-Week High – Time to Buy?

NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. (NYSE:NWE)’s share price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $71.31 and last traded at $71.26, with a volume of 135480 shares. The stock had previously closed at $70.78.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts recently issued reports on the company. Barclays lifted their target price on NorthWestern Energy Group from $61.00 to $62.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on NorthWestern Energy Group from $53.00 to $52.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 13th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on NorthWestern Energy Group from $65.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of NorthWestern Energy Group from $60.00 to $61.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, December 12th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $60.20.

NorthWestern Energy Group Trading Up 1.2%

The business has a 50 day moving average of $67.56 and a two-hundred day moving average of $63.42. The firm has a market cap of $4.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.63, a PEG ratio of 2.40 and a beta of 0.34. The company has a current ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 0.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.94.

NorthWestern Energy Group (NYSE:NWE) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 12th. The company reported $1.17 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.19 by ($0.02). NorthWestern Energy Group had a return on equity of 7.40% and a net margin of 14.81%.During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.13 EPS. NorthWestern Energy Group’s revenue was up 10.9% compared to the same quarter last year. NorthWestern Energy Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.680-3.830 EPS. Analysts predict that NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. will post 3.63 earnings per share for the current year.

NorthWestern Energy Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 13th will be given a dividend of $0.67 per share. This represents a $2.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.7%. This is a boost from NorthWestern Energy Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.66. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 13th. NorthWestern Energy Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 91.16%.

Institutional Trading of NorthWestern Energy Group

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in NWE. Pacer Advisors Inc. bought a new position in NorthWestern Energy Group in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $1,100,000. Systematic Financial Management LP grew its stake in shares of NorthWestern Energy Group by 2.7% during the second quarter. Systematic Financial Management LP now owns 1,145,309 shares of the company’s stock worth $58,754,000 after buying an additional 30,471 shares during the last quarter. Strs Ohio increased its holdings in shares of NorthWestern Energy Group by 402.7% during the third quarter. Strs Ohio now owns 18,600 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,090,000 after buying an additional 14,900 shares in the last quarter. New York Life Investment Management LLC bought a new position in shares of NorthWestern Energy Group in the 3rd quarter valued at $7,565,000. Finally, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans boosted its holdings in shares of NorthWestern Energy Group by 7.7% during the 3rd quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 488,885 shares of the company’s stock valued at $28,654,000 after acquiring an additional 34,892 shares in the last quarter. 96.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About NorthWestern Energy Group

NorthWestern Energy Group (NYSE: NWE) is a regulated energy utility company based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The company delivers electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial and industrial customers across a service territory that spans Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, NorthWestern Corporation, it operates a diversified portfolio of generation assets, including thermal, hydroelectric and renewable facilities, as well as an extensive network of transmission and distribution lines.

NorthWestern Energy’s primary business activities encompass the delivery, transmission and sale of electric and natural gas services.