Minneapolis, Minnesota-based Xcel Energy Inc. (XEL) is an electric and natural gas delivery company with a market cap of $49.6 billion. It manages a diverse power generation portfolio that includes coal, natural gas, nuclear, wind, solar, and biomass, and has committed to a strategic goal of delivering 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050. It is scheduled to announce its fiscal Q1 earnings for 2026 in the near future.
Ahead of this event, analysts expect this utility company to report a profit of $0.93 per share, up 10.7% from $0.84 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company has missed Wall Street’s earnings estimates in three of the last four quarters, while surpassing on another occasion. In Q4 2025, XEL’s EPS of $0.96 fell short of the consensus estimates by 1%.
For the current fiscal year, ending in December, analysts expect XEL to report a profit of $4.11 per share, representing an 8.2% increase from $3.80 per share in fiscal 2025. Its EPS is expected to further grow 9.3% year-over-year to $4.49 in fiscal 2027.
XEL has gained 12.9% over the past 52 weeks, trailing both the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 16.4% return and the State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF’s (XLU) 17% uptick over the same time period.
XEL released its Q4 and fiscal 2025 results on Feb. 5, showcasing solid momentum, with full-year EPS rising to $3.80 from $3.50 in fiscal 2024. Additionally, the company maintained its 2026 EPS outlook of $4.04 to $4.16 and reiterated a long-term growth trajectory of 6% to 8%, with expectations of roughly 9% average annual EPS growth through 2030. It also significantly expanded its data-center ambitions, doubling its contracted capacity target to 6 GW by 2027, and detailed an extensive $60 billion investment plan over five years aimed at strengthening grid infrastructure and boosting generation capacity. Despite these positives, shares of XEL closed down marginally that day as its Q4 EPS of $0.96 missed analyst expectations by a penny.
Wall Street analysts are highly optimistic about XEL’s stock, with a "Strong Buy" rating overall. Among 18 analysts covering the stock, 15 recommend "Strong Buy," one advises a "Moderate Buy,” and two suggest "Hold." The mean price target for XEL is $90.47, indicating a 13.8% potential upside from the current levels.
On the date of publication, Neharika Jain did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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