Madison, Wisconsin-based Alliant Energy Corporation (LNT) is a utility holding company that provides regulated electric and natural gas services. Valued at a market cap of $15.2 billion, the company operates with a diversified fuel mix that includes coal, natural gas, and renewable energy sources. It is expected to announce its fiscal Q1 earnings for 2025 after the market closes on Thursday, May 8.
Prior to this event, analysts project this utility company to report a profit of $0.56 per share, down 9.7% from $0.62 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company has surpassed Wall Street's bottom-line estimates in two of the last four quarters, while missing on two other occasions. Its earnings of $0.70 per share in the previous quarter outpaced the consensus estimates by 2.9%.
For the full year, analysts expect LNT to report EPS of $3.22, up 5.9% from $3.04 in fiscal 2024. Its EPS is expected to further grow 7.1% year over year to $3.45 in fiscal 2026.
LNT has rallied 19% over the past 52 weeks, outperforming both the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 3.8% gain, and the Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund’s (XLU) 16.1% rise over the same time frame.
On Feb. 20, LNT posted mixed Q4 results. Despite its revenue of $976 million falling short of Wall Street expectations, the stock gained 1.9% the following day. Investor sentiment might have been bolstered by a notable 45.8% year-over-year increase in the company’s adjusted EPS to $0.70, which surpassed the consensus estimates by $2.9%. A significant 188.6% rise in earnings from its Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL) segment played a key role in driving this robust bottom-line growth. Profitability was further supported by a 3.1% reduction in operating expenses. Additionally, the company recorded a solid 6.6% year-over-year increase in total utility electric sales, and a 7.2% rise in utility gas sales, which might have further supported its upward price movement.
Wall Street analysts are moderately optimistic about LNT’s stock, with a "Moderate Buy" rating overall. Among 12 analysts covering the stock, four recommend "Strong Buy," and eight suggest “Hold.” The mean price target for LNT is $64.85, which indicates a 9.4% potential upside from the current levels.
