Xcel Energy (XEL) Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates, Revenues Miss
Xcel Energy Inc. XEL posted second-quarter 2020 operating earnings of 54 cents per share, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 46 cents by 17.4%. The bottom line also increased 17.4% from the year-ago earnings of 46 cents per share.
While there was a drop in sales due to the pandemic, earnings benefited from favorable weather conditions and the company’s cost-management efforts.
Total Revenues
Xcel Energy’s second-quarter revenues of $2,586 million missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2,759 million by 6.3%. However, the top line improved 0.3% from the prior-year quarter’s $2,577 million. This upside was owing to higher contribution from the electric segment than the prior-year quarter.
Xcel Energy Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Xcel Energy Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Xcel Energy Inc. Quote
Segmental Results
Electric: Revenues rose 1.7% to $2,286 million from $2,249 million in the year-ago quarter.
Natural Gas: Revenues fell 9.1% from the year-ago quarter to $280 million.
Other: Revenues in the segment grossed $20 million, on par with the year-ago figure.
Quarterly Highlights
Total operating expenses slid 0.1% year over year to $2,164 million, primarily owing to lower operating and maintenance expenses, and cost of natural gas sold and transported.
Operating income in the reported quarter inched up 2.9% from the prior-year quarter to $422 million.
Total interest charges and financing costs in the reported quarter rose 9.5% from the prior-year figure to $196 million.
Looking Ahead
Xcel Energy reaffirmed its 2020 earnings per share guidance in the range of $2.73-$2.83. The company expects to deliver long-term annual EPS growth of 5-7% based on the 2019 reported figure of $2.60 per share, which represents the mid-point of the original 2019 guided range of $2.55-$2.65 per share.
Xcel Energy projects an annual dividend rate hike of 5-7% and targets a payout ratio of 60-70%.
Zacks Rank
Xcel Energy currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Other Releases
NextEra Energy NEE reported second-quarter 2020 adjusted earnings of $2.61 per share, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.50 by 4.4%.
FirstEnergy Corporation FE delivered second-quarter 2020 operating earnings of 57 cents per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 55 cents by 3.64%.
DTE Energy Company DTE reported second-quarter 2020 operating earnings per share of $1.53, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.31 by 16.8%.
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