Wells Fargo analyst Sarah Akers maintains $Spire (SR.US)$ with a hold rating, and maintains the target price at $75.
According to TipRanks data, the analyst has a success rate of 69.1% and a total average return of 9.1% over the past year.
Furthermore, according to the comprehensive report, the opinions of $Spire (SR.US)$'s main analysts recently are as follows:
Spire's FY24 outcomes were considered disappointing, as the company did not meet the EPS guidance range, previously adjusted in their Q3 announcement. However, many of the challenges it faces are seen as manageable through improved cost controls. The firm also foresees advantages from a supportive regulatory environment in Missouri. Current market prices may excessively reflect the risks associated with the company's earnings growth, and forthcoming developments in Missouri might serve as positive influences.
The company's 2024 EPS was observed to be below the expected guidance range. Nevertheless, the projected EPS growth of 5%-7% remains aligned with the original forecasts for 2024. Management anticipates returning to the target range by 2026, contingent upon favorable outcomes in the rate case in MO.
Spire's shares have underperformed compared to the broader utilities group, a situation attributed to inconsistent execution. This trend followed Spire's reduction in FY24 adjusted EPS guidance during its fiscal Q3 update, along with a decrease in guidance for its core regulated Utility segment. It is anticipated that the situation may deteriorate further before witnessing improvement, with expectations of subdued FY25 guidance until a rate case in Missouri potentially stimulates growth in FY26.
Note:
TipRanks, an independent third party, provides analysis data from financial analysts and calculates the Average Returns and Success Rates of the analysts' recommendations. The information presented is not an investment recommendation and is intended for informational purposes only.
Success rate is the number of the analyst's successful ratings, divided by his/her total number of ratings over the past year. A successful rating is one based on if TipRanks' virtual portfolio earned a positive return from the stock. Total average return is the average rate of return that the TipRanks' virtual portfolio has earned over the past year. These portfolios are established based on the analyst's preliminary rating and are adjusted according to the changes in the rating.
TipRanks provides a ranking of each analyst up to 5 stars, which is representative of all recommendations from the analyst. An analyst's past performance is evaluated on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, with more stars indicating better performance. The star level is determined by his/her total success rate and average return.
