With a market cap of $46.3 billion, Xcel Energy Inc. (XEL) is a U.S.-based utility company engaged in the generation, purchasing, transmission, distribution, and sale of electricity and natural gas through its regulated electric and natural gas utility segments. It serves residential, commercial, and industrial customers across eight states and generates power from a diverse mix of renewable and traditional energy sources.
The Minneapolis, Minnesota-based company is expected to unveil its fiscal Q3 2026 results before the market opens on Thursday, Oct. 29. Before the event, analysts anticipate XEL to report an adjusted EPS of $1.33, up 7.3% from $1.24 in the year-ago quarter. It has exceeded or met Wall Street's bottom-line estimates in two of the past four quarters while missing on two other occasions.
For fiscal 2026, analysts predict Xcel Energy to post adjusted EPS of $4.12, a rise of 8.4% from $3.80 in fiscal 2025. Moreover, adjusted EPS is projected to grow 9.2% year-over-year to $4.50 in fiscal 2027.
XEL stock has decreased 8.2% over the past 52 weeks, lagging behind the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 17.3% gain. However, the stock has shown a less pronounced decline than the State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF's (XLU) 9.3% drop over the same period.
Xcel Energy shares fell marginally on Jul. 30 as Q2 2026 revenue of $3.12 billion missed analyst estimates and declined 5.1% from $3.29 billion a year earlier. Despite adjusted EPS of $0.93 beating expectations, higher financing costs and a $94 million increase in interest charges due to higher debt levels may have weighed on investor sentiment. However, the company reaffirmed its 2026 ongoing EPS guidance of $4.04 -$4.16, with a midpoint of $4.10, while higher recovery of electric infrastructure investments partly offset financing pressures.
Analysts' consensus rating on XEL stock is strongly optimistic, with a "Strong Buy" rating overall. Out of 19 analysts covering the stock, opinions include 16 "Strong Buys," one "Moderate Buy," and two "Holds." The average analyst price target for Xcel Energy is $90.26, indicating a potential upside of 22.1% from the current levels.
On the date of publication, Sohini Mondal 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.