Xcel Energy Inc. (NASDAQ:XEL) Receives $66.31 Average Price Target from Analysts

Xcel Energy Inc. (NASDAQ:XEL) has been assigned a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the thirteen ratings firms that are covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and seven have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12 month price target among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $66.31.

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on XEL shares. UBS Group lifted their target price on Xcel Energy from $66.00 to $67.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, September 20th. Argus upgraded Xcel Energy from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $68.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Monday, August 26th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on Xcel Energy from $63.00 to $66.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. KeyCorp raised their target price on shares of Xcel Energy from $69.00 to $74.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, November 1st. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Xcel Energy from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $71.00 to $76.00 in a research note on Friday, November 1st.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Xcel Energy in the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. TruNorth Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Xcel Energy during the 2nd quarter worth $30,000. American National Bank purchased a new position in Xcel Energy during the 2nd quarter worth $32,000. Transcendent Capital Group LLC acquired a new position in Xcel Energy in the third quarter valued at $33,000. Finally, Kimelman & Baird LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Xcel Energy in the second quarter valued at about $35,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.38% of the company’s stock.

Xcel Energy Stock Up 0.4 %

Shares of XEL opened at $71.60 on Friday. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $65.57 and its 200-day simple moving average is $59.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.42, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 0.93. Xcel Energy has a 1 year low of $46.79 and a 1 year high of $71.95. The stock has a market capitalization of $41.12 billion, a PE ratio of 21.25, a P/E/G ratio of 2.92 and a beta of 0.38.

Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL) last released its earnings results on Thursday, October 31st. The company reported $1.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.26 by ($0.01). Xcel Energy had a return on equity of 10.76% and a net margin of 13.67%. The business had revenue of $3.64 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.93 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.23 earnings per share. Xcel Energy’s quarterly revenue was down .5% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts forecast that Xcel Energy will post 3.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

About Xcel Energy

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.