Westar Energy Company Profile (NYSE:WR)

About Westar Energy (NYSE:WR)

Westar Energy, Inc. is an electric utility. The Company provides electric generation, transmission and distribution services. The Company provides these services in central and northeastern Kansas, including the cities of Topeka, Lawrence, Manhattan, Salina and Hutchinson. Its subsidiary, Kansas Gas and Electric Company (KGE), provides these services in south-central and southeastern Kansas, including the city of Wichita. Both the Company and KGE conduct business using the name Westar Energy. The Company supplies electric energy at retail to customers in Kansas. The Company also supplies electric energy at wholesale to municipalities and electric cooperatives in Kansas, and has contracts for the sale or purchase of wholesale electricity with other utilities. As of December 31, 2016, it had 6,292 megawatts (MW) of generating capacity in service.

Industry, Sector and Symbol:

Sector: Utilities
Industry: Electric Utilities
Sub-Industry: Electric Utilities
Symbol: NYSE:WR
CUSIP: 95709T10
Web: www.westarenergy.com

Capitalization:

Market Cap: $7.19 billion
Outstanding Shares: 142,093,000

Average Prices:

50 Day Moving Avg: $51.12
200 Day Moving Avg: $52.43
52 Week Range: $49.21 - $57.50

P/E:

Trailing P/E Ratio: 21.19
Foreward P/E Ratio: 19.68
P/E Growth: 7.24

Sales & Book Value:

Annual Revenue: $2.55 billion
Price / Sales: 2.82
Book Value: $26.92 per share
Price / Book: 1.88

Dividend:

Annual Dividend: $1.60
Dividend Yield: 3.1%

Profitability:

EBIDTA: $1.06 billion
Net Margins: 13.33%
Return on Equity: 8.87%
Return on Assets: 2.97%

Debt:

Debt-to-Equity Ratio: 0.98%
Current Ratio: 0.96%
Quick Ratio: 0.57%

Misc:

Average Volume: 753,577 shs.
Beta: 0.41
Short Ratio: 1.79

Frequently Asked Questions for Westar Energy (NYSE:WR)

What is Westar Energy's stock symbol?

Westar Energy trades on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker symbol "WR."

How often does Westar Energy pay dividends? What is the dividend yield for Westar Energy?

Westar Energy declared a quarterly dividend on Friday, August 25th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 8th will be given a dividend of $0.40 per share on Monday, October 2nd. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.16%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 7th. View Westar Energy's Dividend History.

How were Westar Energy's earnings last quarter?

Westar Energy, Inc. (NYSE:WR) posted its earnings results on Tuesday, August, 8th. The company reported $0.50 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the Zacks' consensus estimate of $0.56 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $609.32 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $633.96 million. Westar Energy had a return on equity of 8.87% and a net margin of 13.33%. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.51 EPS. View Westar Energy's Earnings History.

When will Westar Energy make its next earnings announcement?

Westar Energy is scheduled to release their next quarterly earnings announcement on Monday, October, 30th 2017. View Earnings Estimates for Westar Energy.

Where is Westar Energy's stock going? Where will Westar Energy's stock price be in 2017?

3 analysts have issued 1-year price objectives for Westar Energy's shares. Their predictions range from $53.00 to $53.00. On average, they expect Westar Energy's share price to reach $53.00 in the next year. View Analyst Ratings for Westar Energy.

Who are some of Westar Energy's key competitors?

Some companies that are related to Westar Energy include Sse Plc (SSE), Entergy Corporation (ETR), FirstEnergy Corporation (FE), Enersis Americas S.A. (ENIA), Pinnacle West Capital Corporation (PNW), Alliant Energy Corporation (LNT), CPFL Energia S.A. (CPL), Scana Corporation (SCG), NRG Energy (NRG), Vistra Energy Corp. (VST), The AES Corporation (AES), OGE Energy Corporation (OGE), Empresa Nacional de Electricidad S.A. (EOCC), Pepco Holdings LLC (POM), Great Plains Energy (GXP), Calpine Corporation (CPN), IDACORP (IDA) and Pampa Energia S.A. (PAM).

Who are Westar Energy's key executives?

Westar Energy's management team includes the folowing people:

Charles Q. Chandler IV, Independent Chairman of the Board
Mark A. Ruelle, President, Chief Executive Officer, Director
Anthony D. Somma, Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice President, Treasurer
John T. Bridson, Senior Vice President -Generation and Marketing
Bruce A. Akin, Senior Vice President-Power Delivery
Jerl L. Banning, Senior Vice President-Operations Support and Administration
Gregory A. Greenwood, Senior Vice President - Strategy
Larry D. Irick, Vice President, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary
Kevin L. Kongs, Vice President, Controller
Mollie Hale Carter, Independent Director

Who owns Westar Energy stock?

Westar Energy's stock is owned by a variety of of retail and institutional investors. Top institutional shareholders include BlackRock Inc. (11.67%), Vanguard Group Inc. (8.88%), State Street Corp (3.23%), American Century Companies Inc. (2.86%), CNH Partners LLC (2.41%) and Gabelli Funds LLC (1.88%). Company insiders that own Westar Energy stock include Anthony D Somma, Bruce A Akin, Greg A Greenwood, Jerl L Banning, John T Bridson, Kevin L Kongs and Larry D Irick. View Institutional Ownership Trends for Westar Energy.

Who sold Westar Energy stock? Who is selling Westar Energy stock?

Westar Energy's stock was sold by a variety of institutional investors in the last quarter, including FMR LLC, BlueCrest Capital Management Ltd, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Leucadia National Corp, Citigroup Inc., Franklin Resources Inc., ING Groep NV and BNP Paribas Arbitrage SA. Company insiders that have sold Westar Energy stock in the last year include Anthony D Somma, Bruce A Akin, Greg A Greenwood, Jerl L Banning and Larry D Irick. View Insider Buying and Selling for Westar Energy.

Who bought Westar Energy stock? Who is buying Westar Energy stock?

Westar Energy's stock was bought by a variety of institutional investors in the last quarter, including American Century Companies Inc., BlackRock Inc., Ameriprise Financial Inc., Janus Henderson Group PLC, Balyasny Asset Management LLC, Marshall Wace North America L.P., First Trust Advisors LP and Sei Investments Co.. View Insider Buying and Selling for Westar Energy.

How do I buy Westar Energy stock?

Shares of Westar Energy can be purchased through any online brokerage account. Popular online brokerages include Vanguard Brokerage Services, TD Ameritrade, E*TRADE, Scottrade, Fidelity and Charles Schwab.

What is Westar Energy's stock price today?

One share of Westar Energy stock can currently be purchased for approximately $50.58.

MarketBeat Community Rating for Westar Energy (NYSE WR)

Community Ranking:		1.8 out of 5 ()
Outperform Votes:		122 (Vote Outperform)
Underperform Votes:		209 (Vote Underperform)
Total Votes:		331

MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Westar Energy and other stocks. Vote "Outperform" if you believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote "Underperform" if you believe the stock will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days.

Consensus Ratings for Westar Energy (NYSE:WR) (How are Consensus Ratings Calculated?)

Ratings Breakdown:	3 Buy Ratings
Consensus Rating:	Buy (Score: 3.00)
Consensus Price Target:	$53.00 (4.78% upside)

Analysts' Ratings History for Westar Energy (NYSE:WR)

Show:

Date	Firm	Action	Rating	Price Target	Impact on Share Price
7/26/2017	Wolfe Research	Initiated Coverage	Outperform		Low
7/11/2017	Evercore ISI	Upgrade	In-Line -> Outperform	$49.00 -> $53.00	Medium
7/11/2017	J P Morgan Chase & Co	Upgrade	Neutral -> Overweight	$32.00 -> $53.00	Medium
6/2/2016	Barclays PLC	Boost Price Target	Equal Weight	$45.00 -> $60.00	N/A
6/1/2016	Gabelli	Downgrade	Buy -> Hold		N/A
6/1/2016	Mizuho	Downgrade	Buy -> Neutral	$60.00	N/A
5/24/2016	Bank of America Corporation	Reiterated Rating	Sell		N/A
5/9/2016	Argus	Reiterated Rating	Hold		N/A
2/26/2016	Jefferies Group LLC	Downgrade	Outperform -> Market Perform		N/A
2/26/2016	Wells Fargo & Company	Downgrade	Outperform -> Market Perform		N/A

(Data available from 9/19/2015 forward)

Earnings History for Westar Energy (NYSE:WR)

Earnings by Quarter for Westar Energy (NYSE:WR)

Earnings History by Quarter for Westar Energy (NYSE WR)

Date	Quarter	Consensus Estimate	Actual EPS	Revenue Estimate	Actual Revenue	Release Link	Conference Call
10/30/2017		$1.20					N/A
8/8/2017	Q2 2017	$0.56	$0.50	$633.96 million	$609.32 million	View	Listen
2/22/2017	Q4 2016	$0.42	$0.38	$578.83 million	$606.53 million	View	N/A
11/1/2016	Q3	$1.04	$1.09	$777.07 million	$764.65 million	View	N/A
8/2/2016	Q2	$0.53	$0.51	$639.24 million	$621.45 million	View	Listen
5/3/2016	Q1	$0.46	$0.46	$630.91 million	$569.50 million	View	Listen
2/24/2016	Q4	$0.36	$0.28	$639.79 million	$545.97 million	View	Listen
11/3/2015	Q3	$1.03	$0.97	$787.32 million	$732.80 million	View	Listen
8/4/2015	Q2	$0.42	$0.47	$625.10 million	$589.60 million	View	Listen
5/5/2015	Q115	$0.43	$0.38	$610.00 million	$590.80 million	View	Listen
2/25/2015	Q4	$0.35	$0.32	$551.61 million	$596.44 million	View	Listen
11/5/2014	Q314	$1.07	$1.13	$738.70 million	$764.00 million	View	Listen
8/6/2014	Q214	$0.51	$0.45	$597.58 million	$457.82 million	View	Listen
5/7/2014	Q1	$0.47	$0.53	$582.77 million	$628.55 million	View	Listen
2/26/2014	Q4	$0.29	$0.32	$557.14 million	$559.88 million	View	Listen
11/8/2013	Q313	$1.00	$1.04	$702.57 million	$694.97 million	View	Listen
8/7/2013	Q2 2013	$0.45	$0.53	$570.87 million	$569.59 million	View	Listen
5/8/2013	Q1 2013	$0.31	$0.40	$511.03 million	$546.21 million	View	Listen
2/28/2013	Q4 2012	$0.20	$0.36	$503.06 million	$523.77 million	View	Listen
11/8/2012	Q312	$1.06	$1.10	$707.15 million	$695.76 million	View	N/A
8/7/2012		$0.44	$0.48			View	N/A
5/9/2012		$0.27	$0.21			View	N/A
11/3/2011		$1.00	$0.98			View	N/A
8/4/2011		$0.44	$0.38			View	N/A
5/5/2011		$0.28	$0.27			View	N/A
2/24/2011		$0.11	$0.04			View	N/A

(Data available from 1/1/2011 forward)

Earnings Estimates for Westar Energy (NYSE:WR)

Current Year EPS Consensus Estimate: $2.50 EPS
Next Year EPS Consensus Estimate: $2.57 EPS

Current Dividend Information for Westar Energy (NYSE:WR)

Next Dividend:	10/2/2017
Annual Dividend:	$1.60
Dividend Yield:	3.16%
Dividend Growth:	3.60% (3 Year Average)
Payout Ratio:	67.23% (Trailing 12 Months of Earnings) 64.00% (Based on This Year's Estimates) 62.26% (Based on Next Year's Estimates)
Track Record:	11 Years of Consecutive Dividend Growth

Dividend Payments by Quarter for Westar Energy (NYSE:WR)

Dividend History by Quarter for Westar Energy (NYSE WR)

Announced	Period	Amount	Yield	Ex-Dividend Date	Record Date	Payable Date
8/25/2017	quarterly	$0.40	3.09%	9/7/2017	9/8/2017	10/2/2017
5/19/2017	quarterly	$0.40	3.08%	6/7/2017	6/9/2017	7/3/2017
2/23/2017	quarterly	$0.40	3.02%	3/7/2017	3/9/2017	4/3/2017
11/23/2016	quarterly	$0.38	2.66%	12/7/2016	12/9/2016	1/3/2017
8/29/2016	quarterly	$0.38	2.76%	9/7/2016	9/9/2016	10/3/2016
5/19/2016	quarterly	$0.38	2.91%	6/7/2016	6/9/2016	7/1/2016
2/26/2016	quarterly	$0.38	3.52%	3/7/2016	3/9/2016	4/1/2016
11/27/2015	quarterly	$0.36	3.39%	12/7/2015	12/9/2015	1/4/2016
8/27/2015	quarterly	$0.36	3.87%	9/4/2015	9/9/2015	10/1/2015
5/21/2015	quarterly	$0.36	3.94%	6/5/2015	6/9/2015	7/1/2015
2/26/2015	quarterly	$0.36	3.65%	3/5/2015	3/9/2015	4/1/2015
11/26/2014	quarterly	$0.35	3.58%	12/5/2014	12/9/2014	1/2/2015
8/27/2014	quarterly	$0.35	3.79%	9/5/2014	9/9/2014	10/1/2014
5/16/2014	quarterly	$0.35	3.93%	6/5/2014	6/9/2014	7/1/2014
2/26/2014	quarterly	$0.35	4.09%	3/6/2014	3/10/2014	4/1/2014
11/27/2013	quarterly	$0.34	4.34%	12/5/2013	12/9/2013	1/2/2014
8/30/2013	quarterly	$0.34	4.37%	9/5/2013	9/9/2013	10/1/2013
5/16/2013	quarterly	$0.34	4.07%	6/5/2013	6/7/2013	7/1/2013
3/1/2013	quarterly	$0.34	4.31%	3/7/2013	3/11/2013	4/1/2013

(Data available from 1/1/2013 forward)

Insider Trading and Institutional Ownership History for Westar Energy (NYSE:WR)

Insider Ownership Percentage: 0.61%
Institutional Ownership Percentage: 73.65%

Institutional Ownership by Quarter for Westar Energy (NYSE:WR)

Insider Trades by Quarter for Westar Energy (NYSE:WR)

Transaction Date	Insider Name	Title	Buy/Sell	Number of Shares	Average Share Price	Total Transaction
8/18/2017	Anthony D. Somma	CFO	Sell	2,500	$51.07	$127,675.00
8/16/2017	Bruce A. Akin	SVP	Sell	5,000	$51.50	$257,500.00
8/15/2017	Larry D. Irick	VP	Sell	10,000	$51.17	$511,700.00
8/14/2017	Anthony D. Somma	CFO	Sell	4,000	$51.21	$204,840.00
8/14/2017	Greg A. Greenwood	SVP	Sell	10,000	$51.00	$510,000.00
3/16/2017	Jerl L. Banning	SVP	Sell	1,850	$54.61	$101,028.50
3/10/2016	Greg A Greenwood	SVP	Sell	5,000	$46.90	$234,500.00
3/9/2016	Kevin L Kongs	VP	Sell	1,000	$44.00	$44,000.00
11/27/2015	Jerl L Banning	SVP	Sell	2,500	$42.45	$106,125.00
11/12/2015	John T Bridson	SVP	Sell	5,500	$41.01	$225,555.00
5/12/2015	Larry D Irick	VP	Sell	2,500	$35.90	$89,750.00
3/30/2015	Larry D Irick	Insider	Sell	5,000	$38.61	$193,050.00
3/18/2015	Greg A Greenwood	SVP	Sell	2,500	$38.50	$96,250.00
3/10/2015	Anthony D Somma	CFO	Sell	4,000	$37.10	$148,400.00
3/5/2015	Mark A Ruelle	CEO	Sell	11,000	$37.81	$415,910.00
3/4/2015	Bruce A Akin	SVP	Sell	2,500	$38.16	$95,400.00
3/2/2015	Anthony D Somma	CFO	Sell	5,000	$38.22	$191,100.00
11/14/2014	Mark A Ruelle	CEO	Sell	5,265	$38.75	$204,018.75
8/29/2014	Anthony D Somma	CFO	Sell	2,000	$36.73	$73,460.00
3/28/2014	Anthony Somma	CFO	Sell	1,500	$34.67	$52,005.00
3/17/2014	Larry Irick	VP	Sell	4,000	$34.88	$139,520.00
3/7/2014	Anthony Somma	CFO	Sell	6,500	$33.83	$219,895.00
3/4/2014	Greg Greenwood	SVP	Sell	2,653	$34.50	$91,528.50
3/3/2014	Douglas Sterbenz	COO	Sell	8,885	$34.11	$303,067.35
3/3/2014	Mark Ruelle	CEO	Sell	17,777	$34.05	$605,306.85
12/4/2013	Douglas Sterbenz	COO	Sell	14,300	$31.62	$452,166.00
5/31/2013	Douglas R Sterbenz	COO	Sell	9,450	$31.92	$301,644.00
3/5/2013	Greg A Greenwood	SVP	Sell	4,000	$32.10	$128,400.00

(Data available from 1/1/2013 forward)

Headline Trends for Westar Energy (NYSE:WR) Latest Headlines for Westar Energy (NYSE:WR)

Source:

Date	Headline
	Zacks: Analysts Anticipate Westar Energy, Inc. (WR) to Post $1.20 EPS www.americanbankingnews.com - September 18 at 12:28 AM
	Head-To-Head Review: Westar Energy (WR) and The Competition www.americanbankingnews.com - September 17 at 2:31 AM
	Westar assisting with power restoration in hurricane-ravaged Florida www.bizjournals.com - September 12 at 3:19 PM
	Westar Energy, Inc. breached its 50 day moving average in a Bullish Manner : WR-US : September 12, 2017 finance.yahoo.com - September 12 at 12:16 PM
	Westar Energy (WR) & Atlantica Yield PLC (ABY) Critical Review www.americanbankingnews.com - September 1 at 10:12 PM
	Westar Energy, Inc. breached its 50 day moving average in a Bearish Manner : WR-US : August 31, 2017 finance.yahoo.com - September 1 at 11:20 AM
	Westar Energy, Inc. breached its 50 day moving average in a Bearish Manner : WR-US : August 31, 2017 finance.yahoo.com - September 1 at 11:20 AM
	ETFs with exposure to Westar Energy, Inc. : September 1, 2017 finance.yahoo.com - September 1 at 11:20 AM
	ETFs with exposure to Westar Energy, Inc. : September 1, 2017 finance.yahoo.com - September 1 at 11:20 AM
	$1.20 EPS Expected for Westar Energy, Inc. (WR) This Quarter www.americanbankingnews.com - August 30 at 12:18 PM
	Westar Energy, Inc. (WR) Rating Increased to Hold at Zacks Investment Research www.americanbankingnews.com - August 30 at 11:36 AM
	Westar Energy, Inc. :WR-US: Earnings Analysis: Q2, 2017 By the Numbers : August 28, 2017 finance.yahoo.com - August 29 at 9:48 AM
	Westar Energy, Inc. Plans Quarterly Dividend of $0.40 (WR) www.americanbankingnews.com - August 25 at 6:54 PM
	Westar Energy declares dividend feeds.benzinga.com - August 25 at 6:00 PM
	Anthony D. Somma Sells 2,500 Shares of Westar Energy, Inc. (WR) Stock www.americanbankingnews.com - August 22 at 1:32 PM
	Technical Research on Utilities Equities -- Exelon, Cosan, UGI Corp., and Westar Energy www.prnewswire.com - August 18 at 8:57 AM
	Bruce A. Akin Sells 5,000 Shares of Westar Energy, Inc. (WR) Stock www.americanbankingnews.com - August 16 at 4:54 PM
	Westar Energy, Inc. (WR) VP Larry D. Irick Sells 10,000 Shares www.americanbankingnews.com - August 15 at 10:23 PM
	Insider Selling: Westar Energy, Inc. (WR) CFO Sells 4,000 Shares of Stock www.americanbankingnews.com - August 15 at 7:38 PM
	Westar Energy, Inc. (WR) SVP Greg A. Greenwood Sells 10,000 Shares www.americanbankingnews.com - August 15 at 4:36 PM
	Investor Network: Westar Energy, Inc. to Host Earnings Call finance.yahoo.com - August 10 at 9:00 PM
	Westar Energy, Inc. (NYSE:WR) Issues Quarterly Earnings Results, Misses Estimates By $0.06 EPS www.americanbankingnews.com - August 10 at 2:50 PM
	Westar Energy announces 2nd quarter 2017 results - GlobeNewswire (press release) globenewswire.com - August 10 at 9:44 AM
	Westar Energy's (WR) CEO Mark Ruelle on Q2 2017 Results - Earnings Call Transcript - Seeking Alpha seekingalpha.com - August 10 at 9:44 AM
	Edited Transcript of WR earnings conference call or presentation 9-Aug-17 2:00pm GMT finance.yahoo.com - August 10 at 9:44 AM
	Contrasting Westar Energy (NYSE:WR) & Enersis Americas (ENIA) www.americanbankingnews.com - August 9 at 6:02 PM
	Westar Energy Inc Q2 Income Falls 0% www.rttnews.com - August 9 at 9:14 AM
	Westar Energy announces 2nd quarter 2017 results finance.yahoo.com - August 9 at 9:14 AM
	Westar posts 2Q profit finance.yahoo.com - August 9 at 9:14 AM
	Westar Energy, Inc. (NYSE:WR) Upgraded to Hold by BidaskClub www.americanbankingnews.com - August 5 at 4:50 PM
	Westar Energy, Inc. (NYSE:WR) Scheduled to Post Quarterly Earnings on Wednesday www.americanbankingnews.com - August 2 at 9:40 AM
	Westar Energy schedules conference call to discuss 2nd quarter results. finance.yahoo.com - July 27 at 9:34 AM
	Westar Energy, Inc. (WR) Now Covered by Analysts at Wolfe Research www.americanbankingnews.com - July 26 at 8:03 PM
	What Are Gabelli Funds’ Largest Holdings? finance.yahoo.com - July 26 at 10:12 AM
	BidaskClub Downgrades Westar Energy, Inc. (WR) to Sell www.americanbankingnews.com - July 19 at 6:18 PM
	Great Plains Energy Incorporated -- Moody's upgrades Great Plains Energy to Baa2 from Baa3; outlook stable finance.yahoo.com - July 19 at 4:36 PM
	Zacks Investment Research Downgrades Westar Energy, Inc. (NYSE:WR) to Sell www.americanbankingnews.com - July 14 at 11:18 AM
	Research Analysts Issue Forecasts for Westar Energy, Inc.'s FY2021 Earnings (NYSE:WR) www.americanbankingnews.com - July 12 at 4:46 PM
	Corporate News Blog - Great Plains Energy and Westar Energy Announce Amended Merger Agreement to Form Leading Electric Utility finance.yahoo.com - July 12 at 9:21 AM
	Westar Energy Inc. (WR) Dropped After Revised Merger Agreement www.rttnews.com - July 11 at 9:37 AM
	Westar Energy, Great Plains Energy Agree For Stock-for-Stock Merger Of Equals www.nasdaq.com - July 10 at 8:18 AM
	Great Plains Energy and Westar Energy Announce Amended Agreement, Agree to a No-Premium Merger of Equals to Form Leading Electric Utility finance.yahoo.com - July 10 at 8:18 AM
	Great Plains revises deal to buy Westar into a merger of equals finance.yahoo.com - July 10 at 8:18 AM
	Westar Energy, Great Plains Energy agree to merge finance.yahoo.com - July 10 at 8:18 AM
	No money down: Great Plains now wants no-cash merger with Westar finance.yahoo.com - July 10 at 8:18 AM
	Westar Energy, Great Plans Energy revise merger deal seekingalpha.com - July 10 at 8:02 AM
	How These Utilities Stocks are Performing? -- NiSource, Sempra Energy, UGI Corp., and Westar Energy www.bizjournals.com - July 8 at 8:51 AM
	Westar Energy, Inc. breached its 50 day moving average in a Bearish Manner : WR-US : July 7, 2017 finance.yahoo.com - July 8 at 8:51 AM
	ETFs with exposure to Westar Energy, Inc. : July 7, 2017 finance.yahoo.com - July 8 at 8:51 AM
	Westar Energy, Inc. (NYSE:WR) Downgraded to "Hold" at Zacks Investment Research www.americanbankingnews.com - July 7 at 10:38 AM