Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL) Given New $73.00 Price Target at Morgan Stanley

Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL) had its target price lifted by Morgan Stanley from $68.00 to $73.00 in a report issued on Wednesday morning, Benzinga reports. They currently have an equal weight rating on the stock.

Other research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on shares of Xcel Energy in a research report on Thursday, September 19th. They set a hold rating and a $70.00 target price on the stock. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Xcel Energy from $66.00 to $67.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, September 20th. Argus upgraded shares of 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. 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 research report on Monday, September 16th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of Xcel Energy from $57.00 to $63.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Friday, August 2nd. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Xcel Energy presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $64.14.

Xcel Energy Trading Up 0.9 %

Shares of NASDAQ:XEL opened at $64.57 on Wednesday. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $60.82 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $56.37. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54, a current ratio of 0.97 and a quick ratio of 0.86. Xcel Energy has a one year low of $46.79 and a one year high of $64.95. The stock has a market capitalization of $35.88 billion, a PE ratio of 19.39, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 0.38.

Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The company reported $0.54 earnings per share (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 firm had revenue of $3.03 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.29 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.52 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts forecast that Xcel Energy will post 3.55 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Xcel Energy Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, October 20th. Investors of record on Friday, September 13th will be paid a dividend of $0.548 per share. This represents a $2.19 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.39%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 13th. This is an increase from Xcel Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.55. Xcel Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 65.77%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Xcel Energy

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Heritage Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Xcel Energy in the second quarter worth $585,000. Sanctuary Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Xcel Energy in the second quarter worth $3,472,000. Brown Financial Advisors acquired a new stake in Xcel Energy in the second quarter worth $687,000. Cetera Investment Advisers grew its holdings in Xcel Energy by 33.8% in the second quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 143,573 shares of the company’s stock worth $7,668,000 after purchasing an additional 36,229 shares during the period. Finally, Advisory Alpha LLC acquired a new position in shares of Xcel Energy during the second quarter valued at about $204,000. 78.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.