Ieq Capital LLC Purchases 71,798 Shares of Xcel Energy Inc. (NASDAQ:XEL)

Ieq Capital LLC boosted its position in Xcel Energy Inc. (NASDAQ:XEL) by 153.2% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 118,653 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 71,798 shares during the quarter. Ieq Capital LLC’s holdings in Xcel Energy were worth $8,011,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Dakota Wealth Management raised its stake in shares of Xcel Energy by 0.7% during the fourth quarter. Dakota Wealth Management now owns 23,130 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,562,000 after acquiring an additional 151 shares in the last quarter. Integris Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Xcel Energy by 2.6% during the fourth quarter. Integris Wealth Management LLC now owns 6,323 shares of the company’s stock valued at $427,000 after acquiring an additional 160 shares in the last quarter. Bond & Devick Financial Network Inc. raised its stake in shares of Xcel Energy by 1.1% during the third quarter. Bond & Devick Financial Network Inc. now owns 15,972 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,043,000 after acquiring an additional 168 shares in the last quarter. LRI Investments LLC raised its stake in shares of Xcel Energy by 5.9% during the third quarter. LRI Investments LLC now owns 3,037 shares of the company’s stock valued at $209,000 after acquiring an additional 170 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Brooklyn Investment Group raised its stake in shares of Xcel Energy by 10.2% during the fourth quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group now owns 1,920 shares of the company’s stock valued at $130,000 after acquiring an additional 178 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 78.38% of the company’s stock.

Xcel Energy Price Performance

NASDAQ:XEL opened at $69.32 on Friday. Xcel Energy Inc. has a one year low of $46.79 and a one year high of $73.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.42, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 0.93. The firm has a market cap of $39.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.15, a PEG ratio of 2.59 and a beta of 0.43. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $67.06 and its two-hundred day moving average is $65.54.

Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 6th. The company reported $0.81 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.87 by ($0.06). Xcel Energy had a net margin of 14.40% and a return on equity of 10.65%. Research analysts expect that Xcel Energy Inc. will post 3.82 EPS for the current year.

Xcel Energy Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 29th. Shareholders of record on Monday, January 6th were issued a $0.5475 dividend. This represents a $2.19 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.16%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, January 6th. Xcel Energy’s payout ratio is 63.66%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have issued reports on XEL. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Xcel Energy from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $71.00 to $76.00 in a report on Friday, November 1st. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Xcel Energy from $72.00 to $75.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, February 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Xcel Energy from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $69.00 to $80.00 in a report on Thursday, December 12th. Morgan Stanley cut their price target on shares of Xcel Energy from $74.00 to $72.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, November 22nd. Finally, Barclays dropped their price objective on shares of Xcel Energy from $71.00 to $69.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 22nd. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $69.91.

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.