NextEra Energy, Inc. $NEE Stock: Inspire Investing LLC Raises Stake

Key Points

• Inspire Investing increased its NextEra Energy stake by 16.6% in the third quarter, bringing its holdings to 116,385 shares valued at approximately $8.8 million. Institutional investors collectively own 78.72% of NEE’s outstanding stock.
• NextEra reported third-quarter EPS of $1.24, beating the $1.20 consensus estimate, while reaffirming its long-term earnings and dividend-growth targets. Its renewable-energy backlog expanded by 3.7 gigawatts, supported by demand from data centers and energy-storage projects.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.6232, equivalent to about $2.49 annually and a roughly 3% yield. Despite generally positive analyst sentiment, valuation, higher interest rates and regulatory risks surrounding its planned Dominion Energy merger remain concerns.

Inspire Investing LLC lifted its stake in shares of NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE - Free Report) by 16.6% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 116,385 shares of the utilities provider's stock after acquiring an additional 16,547 shares during the quarter. Inspire Investing LLC's holdings in NextEra Energy were worth $8,815,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of NEE. Legal & General Group Plc purchased a new position in NextEra Energy during the 2nd quarter worth $1,465,987,000. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC raised its holdings in shares of NextEra Energy by 5.8% in the second quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 16,302,084 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $1,430,834,000 after acquiring an additional 895,824 shares in the last quarter. Amundi raised its holdings in shares of NextEra Energy by 46.5% in the second quarter. Amundi now owns 13,329,077 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $1,169,839,000 after acquiring an additional 4,231,814 shares in the last quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. lifted its stake in NextEra Energy by 8.5% in the first quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 10,187,013 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $946,169,000 after acquiring an additional 799,546 shares during the period. Finally, Pictet Asset Management Holding SA lifted its stake in NextEra Energy by 4.3% in the first quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA now owns 9,648,920 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $896,185,000 after acquiring an additional 394,898 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 78.72% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting NextEra Energy

Here are the key news stories impacting NextEra Energy this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Earnings beat and guidance reaffirmed: NextEra reported third-quarter earnings of $1.24 per share, above the $1.20 consensus estimate, on revenue of $8.09 billion. Management is targeting the high end of its 2026 earnings guidance and reaffirmed its long-term earnings and dividend-growth targets. Bull case following earnings beat
• Positive Sentiment: Renewables pipeline remains a growth driver: NextEra Energy Resources added 3.7 gigawatts to its renewables backlog, while the company secured $5.7 billion to support federal energy-hub projects. Strong demand from data centers and continued storage and renewable development support the long-term outlook. Federal energy hub funding
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support and dividend maintained: Scotiabank initiated or reiterated a Buy rating, while Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an Outperform rating. The board also declared a $0.6232 quarterly dividend, equal to approximately $2.49 annually and a 3.1% yield. Scotiabank Buy rating
• Neutral Sentiment: Dominion merger remains on track but carries risk: NextEra expects to close its Dominion Energy merger in the second half of 2027. However, regulatory approval, political opposition in Virginia and execution complexity could create uncertainty before completion. NextEra and Dominion merger risks
• Negative Sentiment: Rate sensitivity and valuation concerns remain: Investors continue to question whether NEE’s recent multiyear gains and current dividend yield justify a premium valuation, particularly while higher interest rates pressure utilities. Barclays cut its price target from $84 to $79 and kept an Equal Weight rating; HSBC also reduced its target, from $114 to $103. Barclays rating and price target

NextEra Energy Trading Up 0.3%

Shares of NYSE NEE opened at $82.15 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.33, a current ratio of 0.53 and a quick ratio of 0.44. The stock has a market capitalization of $172.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.54 and a beta of 0.64. NextEra Energy, Inc. has a 1-year low of $74.41 and a 1-year high of $98.75. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $80.55 and a 200 day moving average price of $86.17.

NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, October 21st. The utilities provider reported $1.24 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.20 by $0.04. NextEra Energy had a return on equity of 12.27% and a net margin of 40.37%. The company had revenue of $8.09 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.47 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.13 earnings per share. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 1.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts expect that NextEra Energy, Inc. will post 4.00 EPS for the current fiscal year.

NextEra Energy Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 27th will be given a $0.6232 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, November 27th. This represents a $2.49 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.0%. NextEra Energy's payout ratio is presently 55.96%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have issued reports on NEE shares. Bank of America dropped their target price on shares of NextEra Energy from $95.00 to $93.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 13th. Seaport Research Partners restated a "sell" rating and issued a $56.00 price target (up from $55.00) on shares of NextEra Energy in a report on Friday, October 2nd. Scotiabank lowered their price target on shares of NextEra Energy from $110.00 to $99.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, September 30th. BMO Capital Markets set a $88.00 price objective on shares of NextEra Energy and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upgraded shares of NextEra Energy to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Monday, October 12th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $97.71.

NextEra Energy Profile

NextEra Energy, Inc is an energy infrastructure company headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida. Through its businesses, the company generates, transmits, distributes and sells electricity, with a focus on regulated utility operations and clean energy development.

Florida Power & Light Company, NextEra Energy's principal regulated utility, serves customers across much of Florida. FPL operates electric generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure and provides retail electricity service to residential, commercial and industrial customers.

NextEra Energy Resources develops, owns and operates renewable energy and energy storage projects, including wind and solar facilities.

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