NorthWestern (NASDAQ:NWE) Upgraded by LADENBURG THALM/SH SH to "Buy" Rating

Key Points

• LADENBURG THALM/SH SH upgraded NorthWestern (NASDAQ:NWE) from "neutral" to buy with a $75.50 price target, implying roughly a 13.1% upside from the prior close.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed—three buys, two holds and one sell—resulting in a MarketBeat consensus of Hold and an average price target of $64.10.
• Fundamentals show the latest quarter missed EPS by $0.02 while revenue rose 10.9% YoY, and management set FY2026 guidance at 3.680–3.830 EPS; the stock trades in the mid-$60s within a 52-week range of $50.46–$72.21.

NorthWestern (NASDAQ:NWE - Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities researchers at LADENBURG THALM/SH SH from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note issued on Wednesday,Finviz reports. The firm presently has a $75.50 price objective on the stock. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH's target price suggests a potential upside of 13.11% from the company's previous close.

A number of other research firms have also recently weighed in on NWE. Barclays upped their price target on shares of NorthWestern from $61.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Weiss Ratings reissued a "buy (b)" rating on shares of NorthWestern in a report on Monday, December 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of NorthWestern from $60.00 to $61.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, December 12th. BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on shares of NorthWestern from $65.00 to $70.00 and gave the company a "market perform" rating in a report on Friday, February 13th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on shares of NorthWestern from $53.00 to $52.00 and set an "underweight" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 13th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $64.10.

NorthWestern Stock Up 1.2%

NWE opened at $66.75 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.10, a current ratio of 0.72 and a quick ratio of 0.53. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $68.03 and a 200-day simple moving average of $64.80. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.54, a P/E/G ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 0.33. NorthWestern has a 12 month low of $50.46 and a 12 month high of $72.21.

NorthWestern (NASDAQ:NWE - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 12th. The company reported $1.17 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.19 by ($0.02). NorthWestern had a return on equity of 7.62% and a net margin of 11.24%.The firm's quarterly revenue was up 10.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.13 EPS. NorthWestern has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.680-3.830 EPS.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On NorthWestern

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Kintayl Capital LP acquired a new position in shares of NorthWestern during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $7,619,000. New York Life Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of NorthWestern during the 3rd quarter worth about $7,565,000. Pacer Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of NorthWestern in the 3rd quarter valued at $1,100,000. Systematic Financial Management LP boosted its holdings in NorthWestern by 2.7% in the second quarter. Systematic Financial Management LP now owns 1,145,309 shares of the company's stock valued at $58,754,000 after acquiring an additional 30,471 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Strs Ohio lifted its stake in shares of NorthWestern by 402.7% in the 3rd quarter. Strs Ohio now owns 18,600 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,090,000 after purchasing an additional 14,900 shares in the last quarter. 96.07% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

NorthWestern Company Profile

NorthWestern Corporation NASDAQ: NWE is a regulated energy company that delivers electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial and industrial customers. Through its Electric Operations and Gas Operations segments, the company operates an extensive network of distribution lines, substations and pipelines. NorthWestern's services encompass the delivery of power sourced from regional transmission systems and the procurement, storage and distribution of natural gas to end users.

Electric delivery services include the management of distribution infrastructure, customer metering and system reliability programs.

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