Avista (NYSE:AVA) Stock Crosses Above 200 Day Moving Average Following Weak Earnings

Key Points

• Avista shares rose above their 200-day moving average, reaching $40.40 and trading around $40.22, despite quarterly results missing analyst forecasts.
• Quarterly EPS was $0.38 versus the $0.42 consensus, while revenue of $421 million fell short of the $425.52 million estimate. The company nevertheless reported higher year-over-year net income and reaffirmed its 2026 utility earnings guidance.
• Analyst sentiment remains cautious: seven analysts rate the stock Hold, with a consensus price target of $38.75, below its recent trading price.

Avista Corporation (NYSE:AVA - Get Free Report)'s stock price passed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Wednesday after the company announced better than expected quarterly earnings. The stock has a two hundred day moving average of $39.71 and traded as high as $40.40. Avista shares last traded at $40.2180, with a volume of 1,827,586 shares traded.

The utilities provider reported $0.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.42 by ($0.04). The firm had revenue of $421.00 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $425.52 million. Avista had a return on equity of 7.85% and a net margin of 11.83%.

More Avista News

Here are the key news stories impacting Avista this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Avista said third-quarter net income increased year over year and reaffirmed its 2026 utility earnings guidance, signaling it remains on track with its outlook. Avista Q3 2026 financial results
• Negative Sentiment: Quarterly EPS was $0.38, below the $0.42 consensus estimate, and revenue of $421 million fell short of analysts’ $425.52 million forecast. The earnings misses could weigh on sentiment despite the rise in net income and maintained guidance. Avista quarterly earnings results

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

AVA has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Barclays dropped their price target on Avista from $37.00 to $35.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 9th. Weiss Ratings downgraded Avista from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a report on Friday, October 9th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $38.75.

Insider Activity

In related news, VP Joshua Diluciano sold 4,675 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, September 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.24, for a total transaction of $174,097.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president owned 8,334 shares in the company, valued at $310,358.16. The trade was a 35.94% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 0.78% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Avista

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Avista during the second quarter valued at about $605,448,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its position in shares of Avista by 0.3% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,516,163 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $60,860,000 after purchasing an additional 4,958 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp acquired a new stake in Avista in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $37,919,000. Algert Global LLC boosted its stake in Avista by 15.8% in the 2nd quarter. Algert Global LLC now owns 739,725 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $30,262,000 after purchasing an additional 100,918 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Gamco Investors INC. ET AL boosted its stake in Avista by 8.4% in the 1st quarter. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL now owns 549,732 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $22,066,000 after purchasing an additional 42,428 shares in the last quarter. 85.24% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Avista Stock Performance

The company has a market cap of $3.37 billion, a PE ratio of 14.52, a P/E/G ratio of 4.02 and a beta of 0.22. The company has a current ratio of 1.10, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.08. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $36.64 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $39.71.

About Avista

Avista Corporation is an energy company headquartered in Spokane, Washington. Through its Avista Utilities subsidiary, the company provides regulated electric and natural gas services to residential, commercial, and industrial customers.

Avista's electric operations serve communities in eastern Washington and northern Idaho, while its natural gas service territory includes portions of Washington, Idaho, and Oregon. The company's utility activities include generating, purchasing, transmitting, distributing, and supplying energy, as well as maintaining the infrastructure needed to deliver those services.

The company traces its history to the founding of Washington Water Power in 1889.

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