OneAscent Financial Services LLC Buys New Position in Xcel Energy Inc. (NASDAQ:XEL)

OneAscent Financial Services LLC bought a new stake in shares of Xcel Energy Inc. (NASDAQ:XEL) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund bought 3,811 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $257,000.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Sierra Ocean LLC bought a new position in shares of Xcel Energy during the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Fairway Wealth LLC bought a new position in Xcel Energy during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Crews Bank & Trust purchased a new position in shares of Xcel Energy during the fourth quarter worth approximately $34,000. MCF Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Xcel Energy by 566.3% in the 4th quarter. MCF Advisors LLC now owns 593 shares of the company’s stock worth $40,000 after acquiring an additional 504 shares during the last quarter. Finally, First Financial Corp IN purchased a new stake in shares of Xcel Energy in the 4th quarter valued at $46,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.38% of the company’s stock.

Xcel Energy Stock Down 5.9 %

Shares of Xcel Energy stock opened at $67.89 on Friday. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $68.96 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $67.45. Xcel Energy Inc. has a 12-month low of $51.97 and a 12-month high of $73.38. The company has a current ratio of 0.93, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.42. The company has a market cap of $39.01 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.74, a PEG ratio of 2.62 and a beta of 0.37.

Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 6th. The company reported $0.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.87 by ($0.06). Xcel Energy had a return on equity of 10.65% and a net margin of 14.40%. Research analysts anticipate that Xcel Energy Inc. will post 3.82 EPS for the current year.

Xcel Energy Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, April 20th. Investors of record on Friday, March 14th will be paid a $0.57 dividend. This represents a $2.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.36%. This is a boost from Xcel Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.55. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 14th. Xcel Energy’s dividend payout ratio is presently 66.28%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Xcel Energy news, Director Devin W. Stockfish acquired 2,170 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 11th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $68.93 per share, for a total transaction of $149,578.10. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 3,007 shares in the company, valued at $207,272.51. This trade represents a 259.26 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.09% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have weighed in on the stock. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on shares of Xcel Energy from $75.00 to $78.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Xcel Energy from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and increased their target price for the company from $69.00 to $80.00 in a report on Thursday, December 12th. UBS Group raised their price target on Xcel Energy from $73.00 to $77.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Barclays increased their price objective on Xcel Energy from $69.00 to $72.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, March 31st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on shares of Xcel Energy from $72.00 to $75.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, February 7th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $73.00.

Xcel Energy 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.