WEC Energy (WEC) Up 3.6% Since Last Earnings Report: Can It Continue?

Company Performance - WEC Energy Group reported Q4 2024 earnings of $1.43 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of$1.44 by 0.7%, but showing a 30% increase from $1.10 in the same quarter last year [2] - Operating revenues for the quarter were$2.28 billion, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.6 billion by approximately 12.1$2.22 billion year-over-year [3] - Total operating expenses decreased to $1.69 billion, down 10$1.88 billion a year ago, leading to an operating income of $590.9 million, which is a 73.1$341.4 million in the previous year [5] Financial Position - As of December 31, 2024, WEC had cash and cash equivalents of $9.8 million, a decrease from$42.9 million as of December 31, 2023, and long-term debt increased to $17.2 billion from$15.4 billion [6] - Net cash provided by operating activities during 2024 was $3.21 billion, compared to$3.02 billion in the prior year [6] Guidance and Outlook - WEC reaffirmed its 2025 earnings projection in the range of $5.17-$5.27 per share, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate at $5.23 per share, indicating a positive outlook [7] - The company plans to invest$28 billion in the period from 2025 to 2029 [7] - Estimates for the stock have been trending upward, suggesting a promising outlook for the upcoming months [10] Industry Context - WEC Energy is part of the Zacks Utility - Electric Power industry, which has seen mixed performance; for instance, NextEra Energy reported a revenue decline of 21.7% year-over-year [11] - NextEra's earnings for the current quarter are expected to be $0.99 per share, reflecting an 8.8% increase from the previous year [12]