Core Insights - Clearway Energy Group has signed a long-term power purchase agreement with Microsoft for the 335 MW Mount Storm wind farm in West Virginia, aimed at supporting Microsoft's sustainability and decarbonization goals by generating carbon-free energy [1][2] Company Overview - Clearway Energy Group's vision is to create a world powered by clean energy, with a portfolio of approximately 11.8 GW of gross generating capacity across 26 states, including 9.1 GW from wind, solar, and battery energy storage assets [3][4] - The company is one of the largest owners of clean energy generation assets in the U.S., focusing on providing stable and growing dividend income through its diversified and primarily contracted clean energy portfolio [4] Project Impact - The Mount Storm project will utilize American-made equipment and is expected to deliver significant investment to the local community, including millions of dollars in tax revenue, hundreds of construction jobs, and funding for community benefit programs [3]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the reliability of brokerage recommendations, particularly focusing on Clearway Energy (CWEN), and highlights the potential misalignment of interests between brokerage analysts and retail investors [1][5][10]. Brokerage Recommendations - Clearway Energy has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.15, indicating a consensus between Strong Buy and Buy, based on recommendations from 13 brokerage firms [2]. - Out of the 13 recommendations, 12 are classified as Strong Buy, which accounts for 92.3% of all recommendations [2]. Limitations of Brokerage Recommendations - Solely relying on the ABR for investment decisions may not be advisable, as studies suggest that brokerage recommendations often fail to guide investors effectively towards stocks with high price appreciation potential [5]. - Analysts from brokerage firms tend to exhibit a strong positive bias in their ratings, issuing five "Strong Buy" recommendations for every "Strong Sell" [6][10]. Zacks Rank Comparison - The Zacks Rank, a proprietary stock rating tool, categorizes stocks from Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank 5 (Strong Sell) and is based on earnings estimate revisions, making it a more effective indicator of near-term stock performance [8][11]. - The Zacks Rank is updated more frequently than the ABR, reflecting timely changes in earnings estimates, which are crucial for predicting future stock prices [12]. Current Earnings Estimates for Clearway Energy - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Clearway Energy remains unchanged at $0.75 for the current year, indicating steady analyst views on the company's earnings prospects [13]. - Due to the lack of change in the consensus estimate and other factors, Clearway Energy holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), suggesting caution despite the Buy-equivalent ABR [14].

Company Overview - Clearway Energy, Inc. (CWEN) is currently an intriguing investment choice due to solid earnings estimate revision activity and a favorable Zacks Industry Rank [1][3]. - The company has seen a positive shift in earnings estimates, with current quarter estimates improving from a loss of $0.38 per share to a loss of $0.30 per share, and current year estimates rising from $0.70 per share to $0.75 per share [4]. Industry Context - The Oils-Energy sector, where Clearway Energy operates, has a Zacks Industry Rank of 69 out of 247 industries, indicating a strong position relative to other segments [2]. - The overall positive trends in the industry suggest that a rising tide could benefit multiple companies within this sector [2]. Investment Potential - Clearway Energy is positioned well within a strong industry, making it a compelling option for investors seeking opportunities in the alternative energy space [5]. - The company's Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) signals a favorable outlook, further supporting its potential as an investment choice [4].

Core Points - Clearway Energy, Inc. plans to report its First Quarter 2025 financial results on April 30, 2025, with a conference call and webcast scheduled for 5:00 p.m. Eastern [1] - The conference call will be accessible via the company's website, and an archived version will be available for those unable to attend live [2] - Clearway Energy is a major player in the clean energy sector, owning approximately 11.8 GW of gross capacity across 26 states, including 9 GW from wind, solar, and battery energy storage systems [3] Company Overview - Clearway Energy, Inc. is one of the largest owners of clean energy generation assets in the U.S., focusing on the transition to clean energy [3] - The company's portfolio includes approximately 2.8 GW of flexible dispatchable power generation, which provides essential grid reliability services [3] - Clearway Energy aims to deliver stable and growing dividend income to its investors through its diversified and primarily contracted clean energy portfolio [3]

Group 1 - Clearway Energy, Inc. (CWEN) has reached an important support level and recently experienced a "golden cross," indicating a potential bullish breakout [1][2] - A golden cross occurs when a stock's short-term moving average (50-day) crosses above its long-term moving average (200-day), suggesting stronger breakouts [2] - The golden cross pattern consists of three stages: a downtrend followed by a crossover and then an upward price movement [3] Group 2 - CWEN shares have increased by 11.2% over the past four weeks, and the company holds a 3 (Hold) rating on the Zacks Rank, indicating potential for further gains [4] - The positive earnings outlook for CWEN is supported by two upward revisions in earnings estimates over the past 60 days, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate also increasing [4][6] - Given the positive technical indicators and earnings revisions, CWEN may present a favorable investment opportunity for future gains [6]

Core Viewpoint - Clearway Energy has seen an 11.2% increase in share price over the past month, outperforming the S&P 500, raising questions about the sustainability of this trend leading up to the next earnings release [1] Group 1: Earnings Estimates - Estimates for Clearway Energy have trended upward over the past month, with a consensus estimate shift of 15.08% [2] Group 2: VGM Scores - Clearway Energy has a poor Growth Score of F, a strong Momentum Score of A, and a Value Score of B, placing it in the top 40% for the value investment strategy, resulting in an aggregate VGM Score of C [3] Group 3: Outlook - The upward trend in estimates is promising, and Clearway Energy holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), indicating an expectation of in-line returns in the coming months [4] Group 4: Industry Performance - Clearway Energy is part of the Zacks Alternative Energy - Other industry, where TC Energy has gained 10.3% over the past month, reporting revenues of $2.56 billion with a year-over-year decline of 17.8% [5] - TC Energy is expected to post earnings of $0.73 per share for the current quarter, reflecting a year-over-year change of -20.7%, with a Zacks Consensus Estimate change of +4.5% over the last 30 days, also holding a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) and a VGM Score of C [6]

Group 1 - Current market is influenced by macroeconomic uncertainties, which pose risks to a significant portion of investors [1] - There is a belief that investing in Clearway Energy could capitalize on the current market environment [1] Group 2 - The focus is on growth companies and the potential disruptive future they may bring due to technological advancements [1]

Core Viewpoint - Clearway Energy (CWEN) shows potential for significant upside, with a mean price target of $34.08 indicating a 27.6% increase from the current price of $26.70 [1] Price Target Analysis - The average of 13 short-term price targets ranges from a low of $30 to a high of $38, with a standard deviation of $2.66, suggesting a relatively high agreement among analysts [2] - The lowest estimate indicates a 12.4% increase, while the highest suggests a 42.3% upside [2] Analyst Sentiment - Analysts have recently revised earnings estimates upward for CWEN, indicating a positive trend that could correlate with stock price movements [4][9] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has increased by 2.1%, with two estimates moving higher and no negative revisions [10] Zacks Rank - CWEN holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), placing it in the top 20% of over 4,000 ranked stocks based on earnings estimate factors, suggesting strong potential for near-term upside [11] Caution on Price Targets - While price targets can provide insights, they should be approached with skepticism as they may not reliably indicate actual stock price movements [5][8]

Core Insights - Clearway Energy Inc. (CWEN) reported fourth-quarter 2024 earnings of 3 cents per share, significantly missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 13 cents by 76.9% and down from 32 cents per share in the same quarter last year [1] - Total revenues for the quarter were $256 million, falling short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $308 million by 16.9%, but showing an increase from $249 million in the year-ago quarter [2] Financial Performance - Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter reached $228 million, an increase from $201 million in the previous year [3] - Total operating costs and expenses for 2024 were $1.18 billion, up 12.3% from $1.05 billion in the prior year, leading to an operating income of $196 million compared to $263 million last year [4] - Interest expenses decreased to $307 million from $337 million in the year-ago quarter [4] Financial Position - As of December 31, 2024, cash and cash equivalents stood at $332 million, down from $535 million a year earlier [5] - Total liquidity decreased to $1.33 billion from $1.51 billion as of December 31, 2023 [5] - Long-term debt was reduced to $6.75 billion from $7.48 billion in the previous year [5] - Net cash provided by operating activities totaled $770 million, an increase from $702 million last year [5] Guidance - The company anticipates 2025 adjusted EBITDA to be between $1.195 billion and $1.235 billion [6] - Expected cash from operating activities for 2025 is projected to be in the range of $844 million to $884 million [6] - Clearway Energy reaffirmed its guidance for 2025 cash available for distribution (CAFD) between $400 million and $440 million [6]

Clearway Energy, Inc. (NYSE:CWEN) Q4 2024 Earnings Conference Call February 24, 2025 5:00 PM ET Company Participants Akil Marsh - IR Craig Cornelius - President and CEO Sarah Rubenstein - CFO Conference Call Participants Michael Lonegan - Evercore Hannah Velasquez - Jefferies Noah Kaye - Oppenheim & Company Justin Clare - ROTH Capital Partners Mark Jarvi - CIBC Angie Storozynski - Seaport Operator Hello, and welcome to Clearway Energy, Inc. Fourth Quarter Earnings Call. At this time, all participants are in ...