Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL) Rating Increased to Hold at StockNews.com

StockNews.com upgraded shares of Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report sent to investors on Thursday morning.

Other equities analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on shares of Xcel Energy from $68.00 to $59.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, March 13th. Wolfe Research upgraded Xcel Energy from a peer perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $58.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 11th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on Xcel Energy from $63.00 to $64.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Friday, January 26th. Bank of America increased their price target on Xcel Energy from $63.00 to $66.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, April 29th. Finally, Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Xcel Energy from $56.00 to $57.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 30th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Xcel Energy currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $62.83.

Xcel Energy Trading Up 0.9 %

Shares of XEL stock opened at $54.25 on Thursday. Xcel Energy has a fifty-two week low of $46.79 and a fifty-two week high of $69.85. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $53.24 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $57.89. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.48, a quick ratio of 0.74 and a current ratio of 0.86. The company has a market cap of $30.14 billion, a PE ratio of 16.29, a P/E/G ratio of 2.38 and a beta of 0.36.

Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 25th. The company reported $0.88 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.80 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $3.65 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.12 billion. Xcel Energy had a return on equity of 11.03% and a net margin of 13.36%. Xcel Energy’s quarterly revenue was down 10.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.76 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Xcel Energy will post 3.56 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Xcel Energy Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Saturday, April 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 15th were paid a $0.548 dividend. This is an increase from Xcel Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.52. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, March 14th. This represents a $2.19 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.04%. Xcel Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 65.77%.

Institutional Trading of Xcel Energy

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Xcel Energy in the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Criterion Capital Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Xcel Energy in the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. Pacific Capital Wealth Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in Xcel Energy in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Heritage Wealth Advisors bought a new stake in Xcel Energy during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Finally, Capital Analysts LLC lifted its position in Xcel Energy by 293.6% during the fourth quarter. Capital Analysts LLC now owns 433 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 323 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.38% of the company’s stock.

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.