Alliant Energy (NASDAQ:LNT) Reaches New 12-Month High - Still a Buy?

Key Points

• Alliant Energy's stock reached a 12-month high of $67.72, with trading volumes of 673,840 shares, indicating strong investor interest.
• Analysts remain optimistic, with five rating it a Buy, while the consensus target price has been set at $66.00.
• The company recently declared a quarterly dividend of $0.5075 per share, reflecting a 3.0% yield and a payout ratio of 62.65%.

Shares of Alliant Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:LNT - Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high on Monday . The stock traded as high as $67.72 and last traded at $67.55, with a volume of 673840 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $66.80.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have weighed in on LNT shares. Weiss Ratings reissued a "buy (b-)" rating on shares of Alliant Energy in a report on Saturday, September 27th. Bank of America boosted their price target on Alliant Energy from $68.00 to $70.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, August 14th. Wolfe Research upgraded Alliant Energy from a "peer perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $68.00 target price on the stock in a report on Monday, July 7th. UBS Group reiterated a "neutral" rating and issued a $67.00 price objective (up previously from $65.00) on shares of Alliant Energy in a report on Friday, July 11th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised shares of Alliant Energy from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Sunday, September 28th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Alliant Energy presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $66.00.

Alliant Energy Trading Up 2.0%

The firm's fifty day moving average price is $65.23 and its 200-day moving average price is $62.90. The company has a market cap of $17.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.02, a P/E/G ratio of 3.14 and a beta of 0.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35, a current ratio of 0.57 and a quick ratio of 0.46.

Alliant Energy (NASDAQ:LNT - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, August 7th. The company reported $0.68 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.62 by $0.06. Alliant Energy had a net margin of 20.07% and a return on equity of 12.25%. The firm had revenue of $961.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $977.15 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.57 EPS. Alliant Energy's revenue was up 7.5% on a year-over-year basis. Alliant Energy has set its FY 2025 guidance at 3.150-3.25 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Alliant Energy Corporation will post 3.23 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Alliant Energy Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 15th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, July 31st were given a dividend of $0.5075 per share. This represents a $2.03 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.0%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, July 31st. Alliant Energy's payout ratio is 62.65%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of LNT. Hughes Financial Services LLC acquired a new position in Alliant Energy during the 1st quarter valued at about $27,000. Alpine Bank Wealth Management acquired a new position in shares of Alliant Energy during the first quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Rossby Financial LCC bought a new stake in Alliant Energy during the second quarter worth approximately $29,000. Global Trust Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in Alliant Energy in the second quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Bartlett & CO. Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in Alliant Energy by 81.6% in the second quarter. Bartlett & CO. Wealth Management LLC now owns 494 shares of the company's stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 222 shares during the period. 79.90% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Alliant Energy Company Profile

Alliant Energy Corporation operates as a utility holding company that provides regulated electricity and natural gas services in the United States. It operates in three segments: Utility Electric Operations, Utility Gas Operations, and Utility Other. The company, through its subsidiary, Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL), primarily generates and distributes electricity, and distributes and transports natural gas to retail customers in Iowa; sells electricity to wholesale customers in Minnesota, Illinois, and Iowa; and generates and distributes steam in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

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