NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE) Reaches New 12-Month High on Analyst Upgrade

NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE) shares reached a new 52-week high during trading on Monday after Morgan Stanley raised their price target on the stock from $85.00 to $87.00. Morgan Stanley currently has an overweight rating on the stock. NextEra Energy traded as high as $80.70 and last traded at $80.47, with a volume of 371680 shares. The stock had previously closed at $79.66.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Evercore ISI increased their price target on NextEra Energy from $70.00 to $75.00 and gave the stock an “in-line” rating in a report on Wednesday, June 12th. Citigroup boosted their target price on NextEra Energy from $69.00 to $84.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on NextEra Energy from $91.00 to $94.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Barclays upped their price objective on NextEra Energy from $75.00 to $76.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, August 16th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on NextEra Energy from $74.00 to $84.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, June 12th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $80.00.

Insider Transactions at NextEra Energy

In other NextEra Energy news, EVP Nicole J. Daggs sold 658 shares of NextEra Energy stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.97, for a total value of $50,646.26. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 100 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,697. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.18% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On NextEra Energy

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Semmax Financial Advisors Inc. increased its position in shares of NextEra Energy by 197.4% in the second quarter. Semmax Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 339 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 225 shares in the last quarter. Proffitt & Goodson Inc. increased its holdings in NextEra Energy by 64.0% in the 2nd quarter. Proffitt & Goodson Inc. now owns 369 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 144 shares in the last quarter. Clear Investment Research LLC increased its holdings in NextEra Energy by 387.2% in the 4th quarter. Clear Investment Research LLC now owns 458 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 364 shares in the last quarter. Valley Wealth Managers Inc. purchased a new position in NextEra Energy in the second quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, American Capital Advisory LLC lifted its stake in shares of NextEra Energy by 74.5% during the first quarter. American Capital Advisory LLC now owns 480 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 205 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.72% of the company’s stock.

NextEra Energy Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15, a current ratio of 0.49 and a quick ratio of 0.41. The company has a market cap of $163.58 billion, a PE ratio of 21.69, a P/E/G ratio of 2.84 and a beta of 0.54. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $74.72 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $69.01.

NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The utilities provider reported $0.96 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.93 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $6.07 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $7.29 billion. NextEra Energy had a net margin of 24.45% and a return on equity of 11.75%. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.88 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts expect that NextEra Energy, Inc. will post 3.39 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

NextEra Energy Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 16th. Investors of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a $0.515 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. This represents a $2.06 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.59%. NextEra Energy’s dividend payout ratio is presently 56.13%.

About NextEra Energy

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.