Are Wall Street Analysts Bullish on CenterPoint Energy Stock?

Core Insights - CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (CNP) is a major player in power generation and distribution, with a market cap of $25.3 billion [1] Performance Overview - CNP shares have outperformed the broader market, gaining 31.5% over the past year compared to the S&P 500 Index's 17.5% increase [2] - Year-to-date, CNP stock is up 22.5%, exceeding the S&P 500's 15.6% gains [2] - Compared to the Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU), which gained 13.4% over the past year, CNP's performance is notably stronger [3] Financial Results - In Q3, CNP reported an adjusted EPS of $0.50, surpassing Wall Street's expectation of $0.46 [4] - The company's revenue for the quarter was $1.99 billion, exceeding forecasts of $1.95 billion [4] - CNP anticipates full-year adjusted EPS in the range of $1.75 to $1.77 [4] Analyst Expectations - For the current fiscal year, analysts project CNP's EPS to grow by 8.6% to $1.76 on a diluted basis [5] - The consensus among 18 analysts covering CNP stock is a "Moderate Buy," with seven "Strong Buy" ratings and eleven "Holds" [5] - Recent analyst ratings have become more bullish, with six analysts now suggesting a "Strong Buy" [6] Price Targets - Wells Fargo analyst Sarah Akers has set a "Buy" rating on CNP with a price target of $44, indicating a potential upside of 13.2% [6] - The mean price target is $43, representing a 10.7% premium to current levels, while the highest target of $46 suggests an upside potential of 18.4% [6]