Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Buys 116,477 Shares of Xcel Energy Inc. (NASDAQ:XEL)

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans grew its stake in Xcel Energy Inc. (NASDAQ:XEL) by 21.3% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 662,942 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 116,477 shares during the period. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans owned approximately 0.12% of Xcel Energy worth $35,408,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Epiq Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of Xcel Energy by 0.7% during the 1st quarter. Epiq Partners LLC now owns 29,072 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,563,000 after acquiring an additional 202 shares during the last quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Xcel Energy by 1.3% during the 1st quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. now owns 16,054 shares of the company’s stock worth $863,000 after acquiring an additional 212 shares during the last quarter. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of Xcel Energy by 3.7% during the 4th quarter. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC now owns 6,249 shares of the company’s stock worth $364,000 after acquiring an additional 222 shares during the last quarter. Bailard Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Xcel Energy by 2.0% during the 2nd quarter. Bailard Inc. now owns 12,074 shares of the company’s stock worth $645,000 after acquiring an additional 242 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Moody National Bank Trust Division lifted its stake in shares of Xcel Energy by 7.5% during the 1st quarter. Moody National Bank Trust Division now owns 3,820 shares of the company’s stock worth $205,000 after acquiring an additional 266 shares during the last quarter. 78.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Xcel Energy Trading Up 0.1 %

Shares of NASDAQ:XEL opened at $64.13 on Monday. Xcel Energy Inc. has a 12-month low of $46.79 and a 12-month high of $64.95. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $59.89 and its 200-day simple moving average is $55.96. The company has a market capitalization of $35.63 billion, a PE ratio of 19.26, a P/E/G ratio of 2.81 and a beta of 0.38. The company has a current ratio of 0.97, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54.

Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The company reported $0.54 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.57 by ($0.03). Xcel Energy had a return on equity of 10.94% and a net margin of 13.46%. The business had revenue of $3.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.29 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.52 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Xcel Energy Inc. will post 3.55 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Xcel Energy Increases Dividend

The firm 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 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.42%. This is an increase from Xcel Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.55. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 13th. Xcel Energy’s payout ratio is 65.77%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on Xcel Energy from $62.00 to $68.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, August 23rd. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on Xcel Energy in a research report on Thursday. They set a “hold” rating and a $70.00 target price for the company. UBS Group lifted their target price on Xcel Energy from $66.00 to $67.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday. KeyCorp lifted their target price on Xcel Energy from $65.00 to $66.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, September 16th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on Xcel Energy from $57.00 to $63.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, August 2nd. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Xcel Energy has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $63.79.

Xcel Energy 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.