Group 1: NiSource Inc (NI) - BofA Securities analyst Ross Fowler reinstated a Buy rating for NiSource Inc with a price target of $37, highlighting the company's strong regulatory and financial execution over the past 24 months [1] - The new senior management team has been effective, delivering results at the high end of expectations under various conditions [2] - Fowler expects capital upside from data centers, anticipated updates, and multiple expansions from ongoing rate case resolutions, supported by a robust balance sheet [2] Group 2: CenterPoint Energy, Inc (CNP) - Fowler assigned a Neutral rating to CenterPoint Energy with a price target of $29, noting that the company is navigating political and regulatory challenges following its response to Hurricane Beryl [1][3] - The analyst forecasts EPS of $1.64, $1.74, and $1.85 for FY24, FY25, and FY26, compared to consensus estimates of $1.62, $1.73, and $1.86, respectively [4] - While the direct financial impact from Hurricane Beryl is likely manageable due to Texas storm recovery mechanisms, ongoing investigations and a pending general rate case suggest near-term multiple recovery is unlikely [3]

Denis Shevchuk NiSource Inc. (NYSE:NI) comprises five Columbia Midwestern and mid-Atlantic gas local distribution utility companies (LDCs) and one gas and electric utility, NIPSCO. The company offers investors a 3.16% dividend and a relatively low beta of 0.50. Several months ago, NiSource's equity market capitalization was $10.8 billion. It is now $15.0 billion, an increase of 39%. The company's stock price has increased 28% and is now trading at the top of its 52-week range because of expected interest ra ...

Company Overview - NiSource reported Q2 2024 operating earnings per share (EPS) of 21 cents, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 15 cents by 40%, and showing a 90.9% increase from the previous year's 11 cents [2] - On a GAAP basis, the EPS was 19 cents compared to 9 cents in the prior-year quarter [2] Revenue and Expenses - Total operating revenues were $1.08 billion, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.16 billion by 6.8%, and decreased by 0.9% from $1.09 billion in the prior-year quarter [3] - Total operating expenses were $847.7 million, down 8% from $921.1 million in the prior-year quarter, attributed to lower energy costs [4] - Operating income increased to $237 million, a 40.3% rise from $168.9 million in the previous year [4] Sales Performance - Total gas distribution in Sales and Transportation was 109.6 Million British Thermal Units per day (MMDth), down 5.1% from 115.5 MMDth in the prior-year quarter [5] - Total electric sales reached 4,018.6 gigawatt-hours (GWh), up 6.6% from 3,770.7 GWh in the prior-year quarter [5] Financial Position - Cash and cash equivalents as of June 30, 2024, were $0.101 billion, a significant decrease from $2.25 billion as of December 31, 2023 [6] - Long-term debts as of June 30, 2024, were $12.81 billion, up from $11.06 billion as of December 31, 2023 [6] - Net cash flows from operating activities in the first half of 2024 were $0.902 million, down from $1.19 billion in the same period last year [6] Guidance and Outlook - The company expects 2024 non-GAAP earnings in the range of $1.70-1.74 per share, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate at $1.72 per share [7] - NiSource anticipates an earnings CAGR of 6-8% through 2028 and capital expenditure of $16.4 billion for the 2024-2028 period [7] - Estimates for the stock have been trending upward, indicating a promising outlook [10] Industry Comparison - NiSource is part of the Zacks Utility - Electric Power industry, where IdaCorp reported revenues of $451.04 million, a year-over-year increase of 9%, and an EPS of $1.71 compared to $1.35 a year ago [11] - IdaCorp is expected to post earnings of $2.16 per share for the current quarter, reflecting a 4.4% increase from the prior-year quarter [12]

Company Overview - NiSource (NI) is a utilities stock headquartered in Merrillville, with a price change of 23.24% year-to-date [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.26 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 3.24%, which is slightly below the Utility - Electric Power industry's yield of 3.34% and significantly higher than the S&P 500's yield of 1.56% [3] Dividend Performance - NiSource's annualized dividend of $1.06 has increased by 6% from the previous year [4] - Over the last five years, NiSource has raised its dividend five times, achieving an average annual increase of 6.06% [4] - The current payout ratio is 60%, indicating that the company distributes 60% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth Expectations - For the fiscal year 2024, the Zacks Consensus Estimate predicts earnings of $1.72 per share, reflecting a year-over-year growth rate of 7.50% [5] Investment Appeal - NiSource is considered an attractive dividend play and a compelling investment opportunity, currently holding a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [7]

Most of us have heard the dictum "the trend is your friend." And this is undeniably the key to success when it comes to short-term investing or trading. But it isn't easy to ensure the sustainability of a trend and profit from it. The trend often reverses before exiting the trade, leading to a short-term capital loss for investors. So, for a profitable trade, one should confirm factors such as sound fundamentals, positive earnings estimate revisions, etc. that could keep the momentum in the stock alive. Our ...

NiSource Inc.'s (NI) systematic investment plans to modernize infrastructure should further enhance the reliability of its operations. The company continues to add clean assets to its portfolio, which helps boost its overall performance. Given its growth opportunities, NiSource makes for a solid investment option in the utility sector. Let's focus on the factors that make this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company a strong investment pick at the moment. Growth Projections & Surprise History The Zacks Consensus Estima ...

Getting big returns from financial portfolios, whether through stocks, bonds, ETFs, other securities, or a combination of all, is an investor's dream. But for income investors, generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments is your primary focus. While cash flow can come from bond interest or interest from other types of investments, income investors hone in on dividends. A dividend is the distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders; it's often viewed by its dividend ...

NiSource (NI) reported second-quarter 2024 operating earnings per share (EPS) of 21 cents, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 15 cents by 40%. The bottom line increased 90.9% from the year-ago quarter's recorded figure of 11 cents. On a GAAP basis, the company reported an EPS of 19 cents compared with 9 cents in the prior-year quarter. Total Revenues Operating revenues of $1.08 billion missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.16 billion by 6.8%. The top line also decreased 0.9% from the prior- ...

Core Insights - NiSource (NI) reported quarterly earnings of $0.21 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.15 per share, and showing an increase from $0.11 per share a year ago, representing a 40% earnings surprise [1] - The company posted revenues of $1.08 billion for the quarter ended June 2024, which was 6.83% below the Zacks Consensus Estimate and slightly down from $1.09 billion year-over-year [2] - NiSource has consistently surpassed consensus EPS estimates over the last four quarters, but has not beaten revenue estimates during the same period [2] Company Performance - NiSource shares have increased approximately 16.5% since the beginning of the year, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 9.9% [3] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.15 on revenues of $1.11 billion, while the estimate for the current fiscal year is $1.72 on revenues of $5.48 billion [7] Industry Outlook - The Utility - Electric Power industry, to which NiSource belongs, is currently ranked in the top 37% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating a favorable outlook [8] - Empirical research suggests a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, which can impact NiSource's stock performance [5][6]

However, the Zacks Growth Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which looks beyond the traditional growth attributes to analyze a company's real growth prospects, makes it pretty easy to find cuttingedge growth stocks. Earnings Growth Cash Flow Growth While investors should actually consider the current cash flow growth, it's worth taking a look at the historical rate too for putting the current reading into proper perspective. The company's annualized cash flow growth rate has been 9.4% over ...