Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL) Coverage Initiated by Analysts at Jefferies Financial Group

Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on shares of Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL) in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, Marketbeat reports. The firm issued a hold rating and a $70.00 price objective on the stock.

Several other equities analysts also recently weighed in on the stock. KeyCorp increased their price target on shares of Xcel Energy from $65.00 to $66.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Monday, September 16th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on shares of Xcel Energy from $57.00 to $63.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Argus raised Xcel Energy from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $68.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Monday, August 26th. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on Xcel Energy from $62.00 to $68.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Friday, August 23rd. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $63.79.

Xcel Energy Price Performance

Shares of XEL opened at $64.13 on Thursday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $59.89 and a two-hundred day moving average of $55.96. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54. Xcel Energy has a twelve month low of $46.79 and a twelve month high of $64.95. The company has a market cap of $35.63 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.26, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.81 and a beta of 0.38.

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

Xcel Energy Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, October 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 13th will be given a $0.548 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 13th. This is a positive change from Xcel Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.55. This represents a $2.19 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.42%. Xcel Energy’s dividend payout ratio is 65.77%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Heritage Wealth Advisors purchased a new position in Xcel Energy in the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. Tidemark LLC acquired a new position in Xcel Energy during the fourth quarter worth $29,000. Quarry LP acquired a new position in Xcel Energy during the fourth quarter worth $34,000. TruNorth Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Xcel Energy during the second quarter worth $30,000. Finally, American National Bank acquired a new position in Xcel Energy during the second quarter worth $32,000. 78.38% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.