BMO Capital Markets Has Lowered Expectations for NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE) Stock Price

NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE - Free Report) had its price target cut by BMO Capital Markets from $84.00 to $77.00 in a research note released on Monday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. They currently have an outperform rating on the utilities provider's stock.

NEE has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Jefferies Financial Group cut their target price on shares of NextEra Energy from $81.00 to $77.00 in a research report on Monday, January 27th. Guggenheim reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $89.00 price target on shares of NextEra Energy in a report on Thursday, March 20th. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on shares of NextEra Energy from $95.00 to $97.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, March 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on shares of NextEra Energy from $90.00 to $91.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 11th. Finally, Evercore ISI cut their target price on shares of NextEra Energy from $84.00 to $79.00 and set an "in-line" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, January 27th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $85.15.

NextEra Energy Stock Performance

NEE stock traded up $0.65 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $66.29. The company had a trading volume of 11,210,902 shares, compared to its average volume of 10,804,052. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20, a quick ratio of 0.38 and a current ratio of 0.47. The firm has a market cap of $136.47 billion, a PE ratio of 19.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.45 and a beta of 0.58. NextEra Energy has a 12 month low of $61.72 and a 12 month high of $86.10. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $69.63 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $73.30.

NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 24th. The utilities provider reported $0.53 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.53. NextEra Energy had a return on equity of 11.85% and a net margin of 28.06%. On average, analysts forecast that NextEra Energy will post 3.68 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

NextEra Energy Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 17th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th were given a dividend of $0.5665 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 28th. This represents a $2.27 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.42%. This is a boost from NextEra Energy's previous quarterly dividend of $0.52. NextEra Energy's dividend payout ratio is presently 67.06%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CAO James Michael May sold 2,383 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $68.09, for a total value of $162,258.47. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 27,427 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,867,504.43. This trade represents a 7.99 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Insiders own 0.18% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On NextEra Energy

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Burkett Financial Services LLC raised its position in shares of NextEra Energy by 1,229.6% in the 4th quarter. Burkett Financial Services LLC now owns 359 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 332 shares in the last quarter. Sugar Maple Asset Management LLC bought a new position in NextEra Energy in the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Bellwether Advisors LLC purchased a new position in NextEra Energy during the fourth quarter valued at $30,000. WealthTrak Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in NextEra Energy in the fourth quarter worth about $33,000. Finally, Luken Investment Analytics LLC purchased a new stake in NextEra Energy during the 4th quarter valued at about $36,000. Institutional investors own 78.72% of the company's stock.

NextEra Energy Company Profile

NextEra Energy, Inc, through its subsidiaries, generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electric power to retail and wholesale customers in North America. The company generates electricity through wind, solar, nuclear,natural gas, and other clean energy. It also develops, constructs, and operates long-term contracted assets that consists of clean energy solutions, such as renewable generation facilities, battery storage projects, and electric transmission facilities; sells energy commodities; and owns, develops, constructs, manages and operates electric generation facilities in wholesale energy markets.