Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL) Sets New 12-Month High - Should You Buy?

Xcel Energy Inc. (NASDAQ:XEL - Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week high during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $69.90 and last traded at $69.85, with a volume of 151236 shares. The stock had previously closed at $69.46.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the company. UBS Group boosted their price objective on Xcel Energy from $66.00 to $67.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, September 20th. 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. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price 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 increased their target price on Xcel Energy from $69.00 to $74.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Friday, November 1st. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upgraded Xcel Energy from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $71.00 to $76.00 in a research report on Friday, November 1st. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $66.38.

Xcel Energy Trading Up 0.7 %

The business has a 50-day moving average of $64.76 and a 200-day moving average of $59.25. The firm has a market cap of $40.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.61, a P/E/G ratio of 2.84 and a beta of 0.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.42, a current ratio of 0.93 and a quick ratio of 0.82.

Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 31st. The company reported $1.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.26 by ($0.01). Xcel Energy had a net margin of 13.67% and a return on equity of 10.76%. The company had revenue of $3.64 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.93 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.23 earnings per share. The company's quarterly revenue was down .5% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts anticipate that Xcel Energy Inc. will post 3.55 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in XEL. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC acquired a new position in shares of Xcel Energy during the third quarter worth $25,000. Transcendent Capital Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Xcel Energy during the third quarter worth $33,000. TruNorth Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Xcel Energy during the second quarter worth $30,000. American National Bank acquired a new position in shares of Xcel Energy during the second quarter worth $32,000. Finally, Kimelman & Baird LLC acquired a new position in shares of Xcel Energy during the second quarter worth $35,000. 78.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.