Is Wall Street Bullish or Bearish on NiSource Stock?

Company Overview - NiSource Inc. has a market capitalization of approximately $21 billion and provides natural gas and electric utility services across several U.S. states, serving around 2.9 million customers [1] - The company operates through its Columbia Operations and NIPSCO Operations segments, with a diverse portfolio that includes natural gas, coal, wind, hydro, and solar generation assets [1] Stock Performance - Over the past 52 weeks, NiSource's stock has increased by 17.9%, outperforming the S&P 500 Index, which gained 14.8% during the same period [2] - Year-to-date, NI stock has returned 5.5%, compared to a 1.3% rise in the S&P 500 Index [2] - NI stock has also outperformed the State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF, which saw an 11.8% increase over the past 52 weeks [3] Financial Performance - NiSource reported better-than-expected Q3 2025 revenue of $1.27 billion, but its stock fell by 2.1% on October 29 due to a miss in adjusted EPS, which was $0.19 compared to the consensus estimate [6] - The adjusted EPS declined from $0.20 in the prior-year quarter, and the market reacted cautiously to a significant $28 billion capital expenditure plan, representing a 45% increase over the previous plan [6] Future Outlook - For the fiscal year ending December 2025, analysts project NiSource's adjusted EPS to increase by 7.4% year-over-year to $1.88 [7] - The company's earnings surprise history is mixed, having surpassed consensus estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing once [7] Analyst Ratings - Among 15 analysts covering NiSource stock, the consensus rating is a "Strong Buy," with 11 "Strong Buy" ratings and four "Holds" [8] - Wells Fargo analyst Shahriar Pourreza maintained an "Overweight" rating and raised the price target from $47 to $49, indicating a potential upside of 6.9% to the current price [9] - The highest price target of $50 suggests a potential upside of 13.7% [9]