Mizuho Issues Positive Forecast for American Electric Power (NASDAQ:AEP) Stock Price

Key Points

• Mizuho raised its price target on American Electric Power to $141 while keeping a "neutral" rating, implying roughly a 4.4% upside; analyst consensus remains a Moderate Buy with an average target near $139.09.
• AEP topped Q1 expectations with EPS of $1.64 vs. $1.57 forecast and revenue of $6.02B (up ~10.2% YoY), and the company reaffirmed FY‑2026 operating EPS guidance around the mid‑6 range (6.12–6.42).
• AEP raised its five‑year capital plan to $78B and is targeting 7%–9% earnings growth through 2030 driven by data‑center and industrial load additions, but the larger capex program raises financing, leverage and execution risks that have pressured the stock.

American Electric Power (NASDAQ:AEP - Get Free Report) had its target price upped by equities researchers at Mizuho from $130.00 to $141.00 in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a "neutral" rating on the stock. Mizuho's price objective suggests a potential upside of 4.39% from the stock's current price.

A number of other brokerages have also issued reports on AEP. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of American Electric Power from $139.00 to $141.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 15th. Scotiabank restated a "sector perform" rating and issued a $140.00 price objective on shares of American Electric Power in a research report on Wednesday. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on American Electric Power from $141.00 to $144.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, April 20th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a "buy" rating and set a $150.00 target price on shares of American Electric Power in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a "buy (b)" rating on shares of American Electric Power in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have given a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, American Electric Power has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $139.09.

American Electric Power Price Performance

American Electric Power stock opened at $135.07 on Wednesday. The business's fifty day moving average is $132.70 and its two-hundred day moving average is $123.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.37, a quick ratio of 0.33 and a current ratio of 0.45. The firm has a market cap of $73.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.23, a P/E/G ratio of 3.16 and a beta of 0.56. American Electric Power has a 52 week low of $97.46 and a 52 week high of $139.44.

American Electric Power (NASDAQ:AEP - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 5th. The company reported $1.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.57 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $6.02 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $5.72 billion. American Electric Power had a return on equity of 10.46% and a net margin of 16.37%.The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 10.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.54 earnings per share. American Electric Power has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.120-6.420 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that American Electric Power will post 6.33 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at American Electric Power

In other American Electric Power news, EVP Kelly J. Ferneau sold 1,351 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $131.46, for a total transaction of $177,602.46. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 15,410 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,025,798.60. This trade represents a 8.06% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Phillip R. Ulrich sold 4,106 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $132.08, for a total value of $542,320.48. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 42,263 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $5,582,097.04. The trade was a 8.86% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 0.05% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On American Electric Power

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Costello Asset Management INC boosted its stake in American Electric Power by 100.0% in the 1st quarter. Costello Asset Management INC now owns 200 shares of the company's stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the period. Activest Wealth Management increased its position in American Electric Power by 72.2% during the 4th quarter. Activest Wealth Management now owns 217 shares of the company's stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 91 shares during the period. Rakuten Securities Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of American Electric Power by 7,300.0% during the fourth quarter. Rakuten Securities Inc. now owns 222 shares of the company's stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 219 shares in the last quarter. Optima Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of American Electric Power during the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Finally, Meeder Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of American Electric Power in the third quarter valued at about $26,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.24% of the company's stock.

American Electric Power News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting American Electric Power this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat: AEP reported operating EPS of $1.64 and GAAP EPS of $1.61, with revenue up ~10% year-over-year — the quarter topped consensus and showed strong top-line momentum. AEP Q1 2026 GAAP earnings rise 9% to $874m
• Positive Sentiment: Big capital plan and longer-term growth targets: AEP raised its five‑year capital plan to $78B and is targeting 7%–9% earnings growth through 2030 (with optionality beyond ~$10B), which management says increases long‑term earnings CAGR. AEP outlines $78B capital plan and targets 7%-9% earnings growth through 2030
• Positive Sentiment: Demand drivers: Management cited accelerating demand from data centers and industrial customers and new load additions (now targeting ~63 GW by 2030), supporting the growth and revenue base that underpins the capex plan. AEP raises capital plan to $78 billion, beats profit estimates on data center demand
• Neutral Sentiment: Guidance reaffirmed: AEP reaffirmed FY‑2026 operating EPS guidance in the mid‑6 range (roughly 6.12–6.42 / 6.15–6.45 in company releases), roughly in line with street expectations but not materially above them. AEP Reports First-Quarter 2026 Earnings, Reaffirms Guidance and Increases Five-Year Capital Plan
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary: Coverage frames AEP as a defensive utility with stable cash flows in the S&P 500; some bullish pieces highlight regulated transmission exposure as a tailwind for predictable growth. Power Stability Story In S&P 500 AEP Utility Strength
• Negative Sentiment: Capex funding and market reaction: The sizable increase in capex raises questions about financing, leverage and execution risk; that, plus the guidance being roughly in line with consensus, likely contributed to the pullback in the stock. AEP raises capital plan to $78 billion, beats profit estimates on data center demand

American Electric Power Company Profile

American Electric Power NASDAQ: AEP is a major investor-owned electric utility headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. The company is primarily engaged in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity, operating a diverse portfolio of power plants and an extensive high-voltage transmission network. AEP serves retail customers through its regulated utility subsidiaries and provides wholesale power and grid services across multiple regional markets in the United States.

Operations span the full utility value chain: AEP owns and operates generation assets that include fossil-fuel, natural gas, nuclear and hydropower facilities, and it has been adding renewable resources to its mix.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.