The evolution of the artificial intelligence (AI) trade breathed new life into the once-sleepy utilities sector. It was once seen a boring bond-like group made for risk-averse income investors. However, utilities have some pizazz thanks to the soaring data center power demands.
Still, investors seeking dedicated utilities exposure need to be selective when evaluating the related ETFs. This is a strategy that makes sense given the sector’s diminutive weight in broad market indexes. Consider the Invesco Dorsey Wright Utilities Momentum ETF (PUI) as a fund with “hidden gem” potential as it relates to the intersection of data centers and utilities stocks.
PUI, which turns 21 years old in October, isn’t a traditional cap-weighted sector fund. Rather, the Invesco ETF tracks the Dorsey Wright® Utilities Technical Leaders Index, which is rooted in relative strength. That doesn’t mean that this ETF is entirely focused on the utilities names most levered to the data center theme, but if some of those stocks are displaying strong momentum, they become credible candidates for inclusion in PUI.
PUI Has the Data Center Goods As things stand today, PUI, which holds 37 stocks, is home to several of the utilities names some experts believe will benefit most from data centers’ insatiable power demands. One example is DTE Energy (DTE), PUI’s ninth-largest holding.
“Data center revenue could allow DTE to forego customer rate reviews and pass along rate benefits while investing to improve reliability and grow earnings,” observed Morningstar. “We assume 7% average annual earnings growth through 2030, with the potential to trend above 8% if DTE secures a third hyperscaler data center customer later this year. DTE’s $36.5 billion investment plan in 2026-30 could go 20% higher.”
Evergy (EVRG) is another example of a PUI holding seen as a credible data center demand play. The utility is investing to that effect.
“Evergy has among the largest large-load customer growth opportunities for utilities of its size. Projects in development and final stages could double the current system demand. Management’s five-year, $22 billion investment plan supports our growth outlook,” added Morningstar.
Alliant Energy (LNT), another PUI component, is also asserting itself in the data center space. The company is planning $78 billion in investments through 2030 and that’s important because management has a strong record of generating return on investment.
“We think the market should appreciate management’s strong execution over the past couple of years, where the company has consistently increased and delivered on growth opportunities,” concluded Morningstar.
For more news, information, and strategy, visit the Innovative ETFs Content Hub.
Key Takeaways EVRG plans to invest $21.6B from 2026 to 2030 to modernize and expand its grid infrastructure. Commercial sales rose 3.8%, industrial sales grew 10.1% and residential sales advanced 3.3%.EVRG signed five ESA projects totaling 2.5 GW and sees more peak-load demand opportunities. Evergy, Inc. (EVRG - Free Report) benefits from its extensive transmission and distribution network, which supports reliable electricity delivery across its service territories. The company plans to invest $21.6 billion between 2026 and 2030 to modernize and expand its grid infrastructure, helping meet rising electricity demand across its Kansas and Missouri service areas.
Evergy delivered strong first-quarter 2026 results as commercial sales increased 3.8%, industrial sales rose 10.1% and residential sales advanced 3.3%, highlighting healthy underlying electricity demand and continued customer growth across its service territory.
EVRG’s extensive transmission and distribution network positions the company to reliably serve rising power demand from data centers and advanced manufacturing facilities. In first-quarter 2026, the company signed Electric Service Agreements (“ESA”) for five projects totaling 2.5 gigawatt (GW) of peak load. The company also expects 1-1.5 GW of expansion opportunities with current ESA customers and is in advanced discussions with prospective customers representing an additional 1.5-3 GW of peak demand.
Evergy’s long-term capital investment strategy focuses on strengthening its transmission and distribution networks. These investments are expected to drive rate-base growth of 11.5% through 2030, while the company continues to project its long-term adjusted earnings per share growth target to 6-8% through 2030.
A widespread transmission and distribution network enables EVRG to deliver reliable electricity service to customers and support large-load projects, such as EV battery manufacturing units and semiconductor plants. Strong electric infrastructure improves operational reliability and provides a foundation for sustainable earnings and long-term growth.
Strategic Expenditure Plan Boosts Grid NetworkA strategic capital expenditure plan strengthens the overall network through investments in transmission, distribution and grid modernization. These investments improve reliability, replace aging infrastructure, expand system capacity, support rising electricity demand, grow the regulated rate base and drive sustainable long-term earnings growth.
Exelon Corporation (EXC - Free Report) plans to invest $41.7 billion during 2026-2029 to strengthen its distribution, transmission and gas delivery infrastructure, enhance grid reliability, expand its regulated asset base and support sustainable long-term earnings growth.
Entergy Corporation (ETR - Free Report) aims to invest $57 billion in 2026-2029 to serve rising customer needs and expand the generation, transmission and distribution network.
EVRG’s Earnings EstimatesThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 and 2027 EPS indicates an increase of 10.97% and 7.01%, respectively, year over year.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
EVRG’s Stock Trading at a PremiumEVRG is trading at a premium relative to the industry, with a forward 12-month price-to-earnings of 19.83X compared with the industry average of 16.03X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
EVRG’s Stock Price PerformanceIn the past month, the company’s shares have risen 5.9% compared with the industry’s 4.8% growth.
Key Takeaways CMS and Evergy operate in regulated electric utilities, supported by rising power demand and investment.Evergy has higher projected EPS growth, lower leverage, a higher dividend yield and stronger recent gains. CMS Energy posts a stronger ROE and plans $24B in investments to upgrade infrastructure and cleaner energy. Companies operating in the Zacks Utility - Electric Power industry are engaged in the production and supply of electricity to millions of consumers across the United States. These utilities benefit from regulated frameworks that ensure cost recovery through rate hikes, while increasing customer demand drives earnings growth. These utilities increase shareholder value through steady dividends and planned buybacks, making them attractive investment options.
Electricity demand in the United States is rising, driven by data center growth, industrial reshoring, transportation electrification and higher residential usage. Companies operating in this industry are focusing on renewable energy projects, grid modernization and strengthening distribution networks to maintain service reliability.
Amid the growing importance of electricity generation and distribution companies, let us compare CMS Energy Corporation (CMS - Free Report) and Evergy (EVRG - Free Report) . These two electric utilities, supported by their regulated structure, benefit from a rise in demand for service, data center growth, strong investment in infrastructure development and renewable expansion.
CMS Energy benefits from its regulated utility business, which generates stable cash flows and consistent earnings. The company’s significant capital investment plan focuses on upgrading and expanding electric and natural gas infrastructure, improving grid reliability, resilience and service quality. These investments are expected to drive rate base growth and support long-term earnings expansion. Combined with a favorable regulatory environment and rising energy demand, CMS Energy remains well-positioned to create sustainable value for shareholders.
Evergy presents a compelling investment case supported by its regulated utility business, which generates consistent earnings and dependable cash flows. The company is investing heavily in transmission and distribution infrastructure upgrades to improve grid resilience, reliability and operational efficiency. Growing power demand from data centers and other digital infrastructure projects within its service areas provides an additional growth catalyst. These strategic capital investments are expected to expand Evergy’s rate base, drive long-term
earnings growth and create sustainable value for shareholders.
CMS Energy and Evergy are among the leading utilities. Comparing their fundamentals can reveal which stock presents the most attractive investment opportunity.
CMS & EVRG’s Earnings Growth ProjectionsThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for EVRG’s earnings per share is pegged at $4.25 in 2026 and $4.55 in 2027, suggesting year-over-year growth of 10.97% and 7.01%, respectively. EVRG’s long-term (three to five years) earnings growth is currently pinned at 9.07%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CMS’ earnings per share is pegged at $3.87 in 2026 and $4.16 in 2027, suggesting year-over-year growth of 7.20% and 7.59%, respectively. CMS’ long-term earnings growth is currently pinned at 7.14%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Debt to CapitalThe Zacks Utilities sector is highly capital-intensive, and companies often depend on debt financing to support operations, maintain reliability and meet growing demand. These utilities supplement internally generated cash flows with capital market borrowings to fund long-term investments and drive sustainable growth.
Evergy’s debt-to-capital ratio stands at 56.97%, below CMS Energy’s 65.18% and the industry average of 59.94%. Both companies rely on debt financing, with CMS carrying higher leverage than EVRG and the industry average, indicating greater dependence on borrowed capital.
Return on EquityReturn on Equity (“ROE”) evaluates management efficiency in utilizing shareholders’ funds to generate returns. A higher ROE reflects a company’s effective utilization of shareholder funds to create value and drive profit growth.
CMS Energy's current ROE is 12.17%, outperforming Evergy's 9.10% and the industry's 11.09%.CMS utilizes shareholders’ capital more efficiently and generates higher profits.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
CMS & EVRG’s Dividend YieldDividends are regular payments distributed by a utility company to reward its shareholders for their investment. Consistent dividend payouts reflect stable cash flows and management’s commitment to delivering reliable returns, making utilities attractive to income-focused and long-term investors.
Currently, Evergy’s dividend yield is 3.36%, while CMS Energy’s dividend yield is 3.11%. The dividend yields of both companies are higher than the S&P 500’s yield of 1.44%.
Capital Investment PlansUtilities’ operations are capital-intensive, requiring huge capital investment for infrastructure development and replacement. These investments improve service quality, support renewable energy storage expansion, replacement of outdated equipment and grid modernization.
CMS Energy aims to invest $24 billion during 2026-2030 to upgrade infrastructure, support cleaner energy generation and drive 6-8% earnings growth. Evergy plans to invest $21.6 billion during 2026-2030, including more than $3 billion for new generation capacity to meet rising customer demand, supporting 11.5% rate base growth and 6-8% earnings growth.
Price PerformanceEvergy’s shares have gained 14.3% over the past six months compared with CMS Energy's rally of 6%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Summing UpCMS Energy and Evergy both gain from rising demand for the service, data center growth, renewable expansion and heavy investment in infrastructure to reliably serve millions of customers across the United States.
EVRG, supported by stable earnings per share growth, lower debt levels, an attractive dividend yield and better stock performance, appears to be a more attractive choice in the utility sector.
Based on the above discussion, Evergy currently has an edge over CMS Energy, though both carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
SummaryEvergy is reiterated as a Buy, driven by robust data center agreements and a visible multi-year growth runway.EVRG's adjusted EPS is projected to grow at an 8.7% annual rate, outpacing its 10-year CAGR, with a forward 12-month fair value estimate of $86 per share.The company maintains a stable BBB+ credit rating, targets a 14–15% FFO to debt ratio, and is positioned for low double-digit annual total returns through 2031.Risks include regulatory outcomes on Missouri rate cases, interest rate pressures, and union labor negotiations, but EVRG's dividend safety and growth streak remain strong.Looking for a portfolio of ideas like this one? Members of The Dividend Kings get exclusive access to our subscriber-only portfolios. Learn More »Sitewide Sale 2026: Get 20% Off Justin Paget/DigitalVision via Getty Images
Co-authored by Kody's Dividends
The narrative surrounding the electric grid has drastically shifted from maintaining the status quo to managing a huge surge in electricity demand. More specifically, the overall demand for energy from the electric grid in the United States is
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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Kody's Dividends, Justin Law, and Rachel Kaufman are part of the Dividend Kings team.
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Inflation isn't going away. The AI-fueled stock market boom is fading. Economic uncertainty is increasing. It's no wonder many investors are rotating out of expensive growth stocks and into companies with durable moats they can own for the long term.
Stocks with predictable cash flows, solid business models, and strong dividend track records can be found in multiple sectors. Here are three monster dividend stocks to hold for the next 10 years from the energy, utilities, and industrials sectors.
Image source: Getty Images.
1. Enterprise Products Partners Enterprise Products Partners (EPD 0.54%) ranks as one of the strongest midstream energy companies in North America. Few players have a larger integrated pipeline, storage, and export distribution networks as Enterprise.
Few pipeline stocks can match Enterprise Products Partners' distribution, either. The limited partnership (LP) has increased its distribution for 27 consecutive years. Its forward distribution yield currently stands at roughly 5.6%, a level below the average in recent years because Enterprise's unit price has soared.
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Enterprise Products Partners is largely insulated from inflation, with around 90% of its long-term contracts including price escalation provisions designed to offset inflation. Roughly 98% of the company's debt is fixed-rate. The midstream leader also doesn't have to worry about oil and gas price swings hurting its business, thanks to its fee-based revenue model. Enterprise has generated stable and growing cash flow through both good and bad periods for the energy sector.
Several long-term trends should work to Enterprise Products Partners' benefit, including booming exports of U.S. liquid natural gas (LNG) and rising domestic demand for natural gas to power AI data centers. This stock offers investors stability and income, along with steady growth, over the next decade.
2. Evergy Electric utility stocks tend to hold up well during economic downturns and volatile markets. That makes sense: Electricity demand is usually quite stable. Utility stocks have often been viewed as boring by many investors. That isn't the case anymore, at least not with one of my favorite utilities -- Evergy (EVRG +0.58%).
Evergy provides electric power to around 1.7 million customers in eastern Kansas and western Missouri. It has no competition in the areas it serves. Roughly half of the company's power comes from clean energy sources, including nuclear, wind, and solar.
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AI is the main reason Evergy isn't a boring utility stock. Kansas and Missouri provide financial incentives for companies building data centers. As a result, the region is a hotbed of AI infrastructure expansion. Evergy signed agreements with four data center projects in February 2026 and expects at least one more deal later this year. The company predicts that these and other large load customers "will drive significant load growth through 2030 and beyond."
Evergy expects to grow its adjusted earnings per share by more than 8% annually beginning in 2028, driven by AI-related demand. The company also pays an attractive dividend yield of 3.4%. It has increased the dividend for 23 consecutive years.
3. United Parcel Service United Parcel Service (UPS 1.02%) is probably the most familiar name of these three monster dividend stocks. The company is a global logistics leader that delivers an average of 20.8 million packages daily worldwide.
After booming during the COVID-19 pandemic, UPS' stock has performed dismally over the last few years, only to mount a strong comeback in the fourth quarter of 2025. That rebound's momentum evaporated in recent weeks, in part due to the conflict with Iran. However, I think UPS' long-term prospects look bright.
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The company is nearing the end of its period of reducing Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) shipment volume. Management views 2026 as an "inflection point" in its strategy to restructure UPS as a leaner, more agile business. UPS should also be more profitable as it adds higher margin shipments, such as healthcare logistics.
Is UPS' ultra-high 6.8% dividend yield in danger? I don't think so. The company should generate ample free cash flow to cover its dividend at least at current levels. This turnaround play could pay investors handsomely over the next 10 years.
Evergy has raised its payout for 23 consecutive years, which puts it on track to soon become a Dividend Aristocrat. A series of recent data center signings is likely to further accelerate the regulated electric utility's growth trajectory. Evergy's BBB+ S&P credit rating can support its huge five-year capital spending plan.
Pre-Market Stock Futures: Futures are trading lower this morning, as many on Wall Street feel the temporary ceasefire may be just that. But what a difference a day can make. After it was announced that the U.S. and Iran had agreed to a Pakistan-brokered 14-day cease-fire, with some renewed traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, stocks took off and never looked back on Wednesday, as oil prices crumbled. When the closing bell finally rang, all of the major indices closed higher with the Dow Jones Industrials closing up 2.85% at 47,909, while the Nasdaq closed at 22,634, up 2.80%. The S&P 500 finished the session at 6,782, up 2.51%. The winner, and the index that has had the best year so far, the small-cap Russell 2000, was last seen at 2,620, up 2.97%.
Treasury Bonds: For the second day in a row, yields were down across the entire Treasury curve, as buyers continued to snap up U.S government debt. Analysts cited ongoing safe-haven demand, despite the ceasefire, plus shifting sentiment for growth prospects for the rest of 2026. The 30-year-long bond was last seen at 4.88%, while the benchmark 10-year note closed at 4.29%.
Oil and Gas: Needless to say, the story of the day was plummeting oil prices as the ceasefire came just before the 8 PM deadline, and you can bet the short sellers were quickly covering after a massive rally that saw prices move to the highest levels since 2022 with the start of the Ukraine-Russia war. Brent Crude finished trading on Wednesday at $96.37, down a whopping 11.81%. West Texas Intermediate, which means the most to U.S. drivers and consumers, closed down a stunning 14.56% at $96.50. Natural gas was down 4.84% to close at $2.73.
Gold: After a very volatile week and with more incoming data suggesting inflation is moving slowly higher, Gold finished a wild Wednesday up 0.20% at $4,718, while Silver was last seen up 1.56% at $74.
Crypto: Crypto markets rallied strongly on Wednesday, with total market capitalization surging roughly 5% past $2.45 trillion. The move was driven by the announcement of a two-week U.S.-Iran ceasefire, which sent oil prices tumbling and triggered nearly $600 million in leveraged short liquidations. Bitcoin climbed to approximately $72,700 intraday while Ethereum rose 6% to $2,250 before settling back lower. Morgan Stanley’s new spot Bitcoin ETF (NYSEArca: MSBT) began trading with an expense ratio of 0.14%, the lowest in the market. At 8 AM EDT, Bitcoin is trading at $71,190, while Ethereum is quoted at $2,182.
24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of analyst research reports daily to identify new investment ideas for both investors and traders. Some of these daily analyst calls cover stocks to buy. Other calls cover stocks to sell or avoid. Remember that no single analyst call should ever be used as a basis to buy or sell a stock.
Here are some of the top Wall Street analyst upgrades, downgrades, and initiations seen on Thursday, April 9, 2026.
Upgrades: Alcoa Corp. (NYSE: AA | AA Price Prediction) was upgraded to Overweight from Equal Weight at Morgan Stanley, which lifted the target price to $80 from $64. Datadog Inc. (NASDAQ: DDOG) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Guggenheim, with a $175 target price objective. Instacart Inc. (NASDAQ: CART) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Raymond James, which has set a $50 target price. Marvell Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MRVL) was raised to Overweight from Equal Weight at Barclays, which boosted the target price to $150 from $105. Texas Instruments Inc. (NYSE: TXN) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Stifel, which raised the price target for the legacy tech giant to $250 from $215. Downgrades: Bullish (NYSE: BLSH) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Rosenblatt, which has a $39 target price for the stock. Circle Internet Group Inc. (NYSE: CRCL) was downgraded to Sell from Neutral at Compass Point, which trimmed the target price for the shares to $77 from $79. Conagra Brands Inc. (NYSE: CAG) was downgraded to Neutral from Outperform at BNP Paribas, which trimmed the target price for the stock to $16 from $19. Hormel Foods Corp. (NYSE: HRL) was cut to Neutral from Overweight at JPMorgan, which dropped the price target to $23 from $28. W.R. Berkley Corp. (NYSE: WRB) was cut to Equal Weight from Overweight at Cantor Fitzgerald, which lowered the target price to $71 from $74. Initiations: AppLovin Inc. (NASDAQ: APP) was initiated with an Outperform rating at Macquarie, with a massive $710 target price. Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. (NASDAQ: CTSH) was started with a Neutral rating at Wedbush, with a $61 target price. CoreWeave (NASDAQ: CRWV) was assumed with an Overweight rating at Cattor Fitzgerald, with a $149 target price for the shares. Evergy Inc. (NASDAQ: EVRG) was started with a Buy rating at BTIG, which has a $99 target price. Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) was assumed with an Overweight rating at Morgan Stanley, which bumped the target price for the shares to $115 from $110.
Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA decreased its position in Evergy Inc. (NASDAQ:EVRG – Free Report) by 2.6% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 1,993,279 shares of the company’s stock after selling 53,508 shares during the period. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA owned 0.87% of Evergy worth $144,493,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Synergy Asset Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Evergy by 100.0% in the 3rd quarter. Synergy Asset Management LLC now owns 148,940 shares of the company’s stock valued at $11,322,000 after buying an additional 74,470 shares during the period. Caprock Group LLC purchased a new position in Evergy during the third quarter worth about $1,482,000. ANTIPODES PARTNERS Ltd purchased a new position in Evergy during the third quarter worth about $72,860,000. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. boosted its stake in Evergy by 9.9% during the third quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. now owns 209,307 shares of the company’s stock worth $15,912,000 after buying an additional 18,783 shares during the period. Finally, iA Global Asset Management Inc. boosted its stake in Evergy by 207.0% during the third quarter. iA Global Asset Management Inc. now owns 22,624 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,720,000 after buying an additional 15,254 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.24% of the company’s stock.
Key Evergy News Here are the key news stories impacting Evergy this week:
Positive Sentiment: BTIG initiated coverage with a “Buy” rating and a $99 price target (roughly +18% upside vs. current levels), giving investors a clear bullish analyst catalyst. Evergy (NASDAQ:EVRG) Now Covered by BTIG Research Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research nudged up near‑term and full‑year EPS estimates (examples cited: Q1 2026/2027 and Q3 2026 increases; FY2026 raised to $4.24), which supports modest upward revisions to earnings expectations and can justify a higher multiple over time. Zacks estimates summary Neutral Sentiment: Research writeups compiling analyst Q4 expectations have been published, helping set the near‑term earnings narrative but not introducing major new surprises. Investors will watch upcoming official Q4 results for confirmation. Research Analysts Set Expectations for Evergy Q4 Earnings Neutral Sentiment: Context: the stock is trading near its 50‑ and 200‑day moving averages with below‑average intraday volume, and a mid‑20s PE — analyst upgrades provide upside rationale, but muted volume and valuation mean moves may be gradual rather than immediate. Analyst Ratings Changes EVRG has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Barclays increased their target price on shares of Evergy from $82.00 to $89.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, March 9th. Citigroup increased their target price on shares of Evergy from $89.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Evergy from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, February 21st. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Evergy in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Evergy from $79.00 to $83.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, February 20th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $89.00.
Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on EVRG
Insider Transactions at Evergy In other news, SVP Heather A. Humphrey sold 3,650 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $82.61, for a total transaction of $301,526.50. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 44,007 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,635,418.27. This represents a 7.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, SVP Charles L. King sold 2,440 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $82.19, for a total transaction of $200,543.60. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 18,359 shares in the company, valued at $1,508,926.21. This represents a 11.73% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 8,937 shares of company stock valued at $736,492. 1.52% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
Evergy Price Performance Shares of EVRG opened at $83.58 on Monday. The stock has a market capitalization of $19.25 billion, a PE ratio of 22.77, a P/E/G ratio of 2.16 and a beta of 0.61. Evergy Inc. has a 1 year low of $63.29 and a 1 year high of $85.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.27, a quick ratio of 0.27 and a current ratio of 0.49. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $81.36 and its 200-day simple moving average is $77.61.
Evergy (NASDAQ:EVRG – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Saturday, January 31st. The company reported $0.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Evergy had a net margin of 14.35% and a return on equity of 8.79%. Analysts forecast that Evergy Inc. will post 3.83 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Evergy Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 20th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 10th were given a dividend of $0.695 per share. This represents a $2.78 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, March 10th. Evergy’s dividend payout ratio is currently 75.75%.
Evergy Profile (Free Report)
Evergy, Inc is a regulated electric utility that generates, transmits and distributes electricity to residential, commercial and industrial customers primarily across Kansas and western Missouri. The company provides core utility services including retail electric delivery, grid operations, customer service and outage restoration, operating under state regulatory frameworks. Evergy serves a mix of urban and rural communities, including portions of the Kansas City metropolitan area and other population centers in its service territory.
The company’s business activities span power generation, system planning, transmission and distribution infrastructure, and customer-facing programs such as energy efficiency and demand-side management.
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Key Takeaways Evergy gains from rising data center demand, signing four projects adding 1.9 GW peak load. EVRG plans $21.6B in 2026-2030 investments to boost grid, renewables, and rate base growth. Evergy faces risks from aging assets, outages, and regulatory hurdles in Kansas and Missouri. Evergy, Inc. (EVRG - Free Report) benefits from a rise in data center demand and customer expansion driven by economic growth in its service territory, boosting its financial performance. Strategic investments, acquisitions and joint ventures support renewable expansion and long-term growth.
This Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company faces risks due to unplanned outages from aging assets.
EVRG’s TailwindsEvergy benefits from expanding its customer base, driven by economic development in its service territory, supporting its financial performance. The company increased its large-customer pipeline to more than 15 gigawatts (GW).
Evergy is aided by increasing electricity load growth from data center demand, enhancing revenue visibility and supporting stability. During first-quarter 2026, EVRG signed contracts for four major data center projects, adding two new facilities and expanding two existing sites. The project accounts for 1.9 GW of steady-state peak demand, representing about 20% system increase. The project is expected to add 1,300 MW in retail load growth through 2030. EVR expects load growth of nearly 2-3.5 GW from multiple customers.
The company expands its existing operations through joint ventures and strategic acquisitions, which creates long-term value. Evergy formed a joint venture with American Electric Power, named Transource Energy, LLC, to develop competitive electric transmission projects across the United States. The company holds a 13.5% ownership stake in the venture. Meanwhile, Evergy Missouri West acquired the Foxtrot solar facility assets, with operations expected to commence by summer 2027, supporting clean energy growth.
EVRG’s strategic capital investment for renewable expansion and infrastructure development supports grid modernization, improves operational efficiency and service reliability, thus boosting long-term growth. The company aims to make a $21.6 billion investment in 2026-2030, a 24% increase from its previous five-year plan, including more than $3 billion for new generation capacity. These Investments are expected to drive 11.5% rate base growth, with 6-8% long-term EPS growth target through 2030.
EVRG’s HeadwindsEVRG was formed through a merger; consequently, it inherited some aging properties that require maintenance on a regular basis. Despite maintenance, any unplanned outages of the old assets can result in service disruptions, increase operational expenses and disrupt operations.
Evergy’s performance largely depends on the outcome of retail rate proceedings in Kansas and Missouri. Failure to timely recover full investment costs of capital projects could have a material impact on the business.
Price Performance of EVRGIn the past three months, Evergy shares have rallied 11.1% compared with the industry’s 11.0% growth.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Stocks to ConsiderSome better-ranked stocks in the same industry are CMS Energy Corporation (CMS - Free Report) , Duke Energy Corporation (DUK - Free Report) and FirstEnergy Corp. (FE - Free Report) . All stocks currently carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
CMS, DUK and FE have dividend yields of 2.87%, 3.23% and 3.46%, respectively, which are better than the Zacks S&P 500 composite’s yield of 1.41%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CMS Energy, Duke Energy and FirstEnergy’s 2026 EPS is pegged at $3.86, $6.70 and 2.73%, suggesting year-over-year growth of 6.93%, 6.18% and 7.06%, respectively.
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KANSAS CITY, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On Tuesday, May 5, 2026, Evergy, Inc. (NASDAQ: EVRG) will conduct its 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The virtual meeting will begin at 11:00 a.m. Eastern (10:00 a.m. Central) and can be accessed at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/EVRG2026. To participate, all shareholders must enter the control number found on their proxy cards or voting instruction forms. At the meeting, shareholders will vote to elect 12 members of the Board of Directors and other business matters set forth in the notice of the meeting.
About Evergy, Inc.
Evergy, Inc. (NASDAQ: EVRG), serves 1.7 million customers in Kansas and Missouri. Evergy’s mission is to empower a better future. We are leading the way in delivering affordable, reliable and sustainable energy that creates the foundation for thriving and growing communities. Our focus is on delivering reliable power while keeping bills as low as possible. We value innovation and adaptability to give our customers better ways to manage their energy use, to create a safe and rewarding workplace for our employees and to add value for our investors. Headquartered in Kansas City, our employees live, work and volunteer in the communities we serve.
For more information about Evergy, Inc., visit us at www.evergy.com and investors.evergy.com.
Key Takeaways Evergy to report Q1 results on May 7; EPS seen at $0.63 (up 16.67%) and revenues at $1.41B (up 2.82%).Evergy demand tailwinds include service-area expansion and growing electricity needs from data centers.Evergy expects benefits from grid modernization, energy efficiency and cost optimization. Evergy, Inc. (EVRG - Free Report) is scheduled to release first-quarter 2026 results on May 7, before market open. The company delivered a negative earnings surprise of 26.32% in the last reported quarter.
Let us discuss the factors that are likely to be reflected in the upcoming quarterly results.
EVRG’s Q1 ExpectationsThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at 63 cents per share, implying a year-over-year surge of 16.67%.
The consensus estimate for revenues is pinned at $1.41 billion, indicating an increase of 2.82% from the year-ago reported figure.
Factors Likely to Have Impacted EVRG's Q1 EarningsEvergy is likely to have benefited from economic expansion across its service areas, driving higher demand. Additionally, growing electricity needs from data centers are expected to have provided further support to its first-quarter earnings performance.
Evergy’s quarterly results are expected to reflect the positive impact of continued investments in grid modernization and enhanced service reliability. Earnings are also likely to have been supported by energy efficiency initiatives and ongoing cost optimization efforts.
Evergy is also expected to have benefited by maintaining affordable rates and high-quality services for its customers, which will result in customer and load growth.
What Our Quantitative Model Predicts for EVRGOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Evergy this time. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat, which is not the case here as you will see below.
Stocks to ConsiderA couple of companies from the same sector with the right combination of the two factors for an earnings beat this season are PPL Corporation (PPL - Free Report) and SOLV Energy Inc. (MWH - Free Report) . PPL and MWH currently have a Zacks Rank #3 each. These companies’ Earnings ESP are pegged at +0.41% and +3.45%, respectively.
A stock from the same industry that reported positive earnings surprise this season is Dominion Energy (D - Free Report) , among others. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 and 2027 earnings per share for Dominion Energy indicates year-over-year growth of 4.94% and 6.21%, respectively.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Evergy, Inc. (NASDAQ: EVRG) today announced first quarter 2026 GAAP earnings of $151.5 million, or $0.64 per share, compared to GAAP earnings of $125.0 million, or $0.54 per share, for the first quarter 2025.
Evergy’s first quarter 2026 adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) and adjusted earnings per share (non-GAAP) were $161.8 million and $0.69 per share, respectively, compared to $127.8 million and $0.55, respectively, in first quarter 2025. Adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) and adjusted earnings per share (non-GAAP) are reconciled to GAAP earnings in the financial table included in this release.
Relative to the same period in 2025, first quarter 2026 adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) per share benefited from recovery of regulated investments, growth in weather-normalized demand and higher large customer and other revenues. These favorable results were partially offset by mild winter weather, higher operations and maintenance expense, and higher depreciation and amortization expense.
“We continued to advance our large customer strategy in the first quarter and are pleased to announce the signing of an electric service agreement for a large customer project in our Kansas Central service territory,” said David Campbell, chairman and chief executive officer. “Beginning in 2027, the customer will take service under our large load power service (LLPS) tariff, the framework under which new large customers will pay a premium rate that covers their fair share of existing and new system costs to drive affordability benefits for existing customers and enhance economic growth.
“Financial results were solid despite mild weather in the first quarter, and we remain on track to achieve our 2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $4.14 to $4.34. We are also reaffirming our long-term adjusted EPS annual growth target of 6% to 8%+ through 2030 off the 2026 midpoint, with the expectation that annual EPS growth will exceed 8% beginning in 2028 and through 2030.”
Earnings Guidance
The Company reaffirmed its 2026 adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) guidance range of $4.14 to $4.34. Additionally, the Company reaffirmed its long-term adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) annual growth target of 6% to 8%+ through 2030 based on the 2026 adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) guidance midpoint of $4.24. The Company expects annual adjusted EPS growth to exceed 8% beginning in 2028 and through 2030. Adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) could differ from GAAP EPS for items such as impairments, divestitures, mark-to-market impacts, the impact of regulatory orders, or changes in accounting principles. Evergy management is not able to forecast if any of these items will occur or any amounts that may be reported for future periods. Therefore, Evergy is not able to provide a corresponding GAAP equivalent for 2026 or future years’ adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) guidance.
Dividend Declaration
The Board of Directors declared a dividend on the Company’s common stock of $0.6950 per share payable on June 18, 2026. The dividends are payable to shareholders of record as of May 22, 2026.
Earnings Conference Call
Evergy management will host a conference call Thursday, May 7, 2026, with the investment community at 9:00 a.m. ET (8:00 a.m. CT). To view the webcast and presentation slides, please go to investors.evergy.com. To access via phone, investors and analysts will need to register using this link where they will be provided a phone number and access code.
This earnings announcement, a package of detailed first quarter financial information, the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2026, and other filings the Company has made with the Securities and Exchange Commission are available on the Company's website at http://investors.evergy.com.
Adjusted Earnings (non-GAAP) and Adjusted Earnings Per Share (non-GAAP)
Management believes that adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) and adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) are representative measures of Evergy's recurring earnings, assist in the comparability of results and are consistent with how management reviews performance.
Evergy's adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) and adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) for the three months ended March 31, 2026, were $161.8 million or $0.69 per share. For the three months ended March 31, 2025, Evergy's adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) and adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) were recast to conform to the current year calculation of adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) and adjusted EPS (non-GAAP), resulting in adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) and adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) of $127.8 million or $0.55 per share.
In addition to net income attributable to Evergy, Inc. and diluted EPS, Evergy's management uses adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) and adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) to evaluate earnings and EPS without:
losses from the repurchase of a portion of Evergy's Convertible Notes; and unrealized gains and losses from non-regulated investments in early-stage clean energy and energy solution companies and costs related to the disposal of these investments. Adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) and adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) are intended to aid an investor's overall understanding of results. Management believes that adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) provides a meaningful basis for evaluating Evergy's operations across periods because it excludes certain items that management does not believe are indicative of Evergy's ongoing performance or that can create period to period earnings volatility.
Adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) and adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) are used internally to measure performance against budget and in reports for management and the Evergy Board. Adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) and adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) are financial measures that are not calculated in accordance with GAAP and may not be comparable to other companies' presentations or more useful than the GAAP information provided elsewhere in this report.
The following table provides a reconciliation between net income attributable to Evergy, Inc. and diluted EPS as determined in accordance with GAAP and adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) and adjusted EPS (non-GAAP), respectively.
Evergy, Inc
Consolidated Earnings and Diluted Earnings Per Share
(Unaudited)
Earnings
(Loss)
Earnings
(Loss)
per
Diluted
Share
Earnings
(Loss)
Earnings
(Loss)
per
Diluted
Share
Three Months Ended March 31
2026
2025
(millions, except per share amounts)
Net income attributable to Evergy, Inc.
$
151.5
$
0.64
$
125.0
$
0.54
Non-GAAP reconciling items:
Losses from the repurchase of convertible notes, pre-tax(a)
10.3
0.05
—
—
Losses from investments in early-stage clean energy and energy solution companies, pre-tax(b)
0.4
—
3.6
0.01
Income tax benefit (c)
(0.4)
—
(0.8)
—
Adjusted earnings (non-GAAP)
$
161.8
$
0.69
$
127.8
$
0.55
About Evergy
Evergy, Inc. (NASDAQ: EVRG) serves 1.7 million customers in Kansas and Missouri. Evergy’s mission is to empower a better future. We are leading the way in delivering affordable, reliable and sustainable energy that creates the foundation for thriving and growing communities. Our focus is on delivering reliable power while keeping bills as low as possible. We value innovation and adaptability to give our customers better ways to manage their energy use, to create a safe and rewarding workplace for our employees and to add value for our investors. Headquartered in Kansas City, our employees live, work and volunteer in the communities we serve.
For more information about Evergy, visit us at http://investors.evergy.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements made in this document that are not based on historical facts are forward-looking, may involve risks and uncertainties, and are intended to be as of the date when made. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to Evergy's strategic plan, including, without limitation, those related to earnings per share, dividend, operating and maintenance expense and capital investment goals; the outcome of legislative efforts and regulatory and legal proceedings; future energy demand, including demand driven by new and existing customers; future power prices; plans with respect to existing and potential future generation resources; the availability and cost of generation resources and energy storage; target emissions reductions; and other matters relating to expected financial performance or affecting future operations. Forward-looking statements are often accompanied by forward-looking words such as "anticipates," "believes," "expects," "estimates," "forecasts," "guidance," "should," "could," "may," "seeks," "intends," "predict," "potential," "opportunities," "proposed," "projects," "planned," "target," "budget," "outlook," "remain confident," "goal," "will" or other words of similar meaning. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information.
In connection with the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the Evergy Companies are providing a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking information. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to: economic and weather conditions and any impact on sales, prices and costs; significant changes in the demand for electricity, including demand from data centers and other large load customers; changes in business strategy or operations, including with respect to the Evergy Companies' strategy to meet demand requirements of existing and future customers; uncertainties related to projected rapid growth in electricity demand driven primarily by data centers and other large load customers and the related requirement for new generation and transmission investments, creating capital access, revenue recovery and customer affordability risks; the impact of federal, state and local political, legislative, judicial and regulatory actions or developments, including deregulation, re-regulation, securitization and restructuring of the electric utility industry; prolonged or recurring U.S. federal government shutdowns; changes in U.S. trade policies (including tariffs and other trade measures) and responses from other countries; the ability to build or acquire generation, battery storage and transmission facilities to meet the future demand for electricity from customers; the ability to control costs, avoid cost and schedule overruns during the development, construction and operation of generation, battery storage, transmission, distribution or other projects due to challenges, which include, but are not limited to, changes in labor costs, availability and productivity, challenges with the management of contractors or vendors, subcontractor performance, shortages, delays, increased costs or inconsistent quality of equipment, materials and labor and increased financing costs as a result of changes in interest rates or as a result of project delays; decisions of regulators regarding, among other things, customer rates and the prudency of operational decisions such as capital expenditures and asset retirements; changes in applicable laws, regulations, rules, principles or practices, or the interpretations thereof, governing tax, accounting and environmental matters, including air and water quality and waste management and disposal; development, adoption and use of artificial intelligence by the Evergy Companies and its third-party vendors; the impact of climate change, including increased frequency and severity of significant weather events; risks relating to potential wildfires, including costs of litigation, potential regulatory penalties and damages in excess of insurance liability coverage; the extent to which counterparties are willing to do business with, finance the operations of or purchase energy from the Evergy Companies due to the fact that the Evergy Companies operate coal-fired generation; prices and availability of electricity and natural gas in wholesale markets; market perception of the energy industry and the Evergy Companies; the impact of future pandemic health events on, among other things, sales, results of operations, financial position, liquidity and cash flows, and also on operational issues, such as supply chain issues and the availability and ability of the Evergy Companies' employees and suppliers to perform the functions that are necessary to operate the Evergy Companies; changes in the energy trading markets in which the Evergy Companies participate, including retroactive repricing of transactions by regional transmission organizations (RTO) and independent system operators; financial market conditions and performance, disruptions in the banking industry, including volatility in interest rates and credit spreads and in availability and cost of capital and the effects on derivatives and hedges and ability to obtain capital to finance large construction projects, nuclear decommissioning trust and pension plan assets and costs; impairments of long-lived assets or goodwill; credit ratings; inflation rates; effectiveness of risk management policies and procedures and the ability of counterparties to satisfy their contractual commitments including new large data center customers; impact of physical and cybersecurity breaches, criminal activity, terrorist attacks, acts of war and other disruptions to the Evergy Companies' facilities or information technology infrastructure or the facilities and infrastructure of third-party service providers on which the Evergy Companies rely; impact of geopolitical conflicts on the global energy market, including the ability to contract for non-Russian sourced uranium; ability to carry out marketing and sales plans; cost, availability, quality and timely provision of equipment, supplies, labor and fuel; ability to achieve generation goals and the occurrence and duration of planned and unplanned generation outages; the Evergy Companies' ability to manage their generation, transmission and distribution development plans and transmission joint ventures; the inherent risks associated with the ownership and operation of a nuclear facility, including environmental, health, safety, regulatory and financial risks; workforce risks, including those related to the Evergy Companies' ability to attract and retain qualified personnel, maintain satisfactory relationships with their labor unions and manage costs of, or changes in, wages, retirement, health care and other benefits; disruption, costs and uncertainties caused by or related to the actions of individuals or entities, such as activist shareholders or special interest groups, that seek to influence Evergy's strategic plan, financial results or operations; the impact of changing expectations and demands of the Evergy Companies' customers, regulators, investors and stakeholders, including differing views on environmental, social and governance concerns; the possibility that strategic initiatives, including mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and divestitures, and long-term financial plans, may not create the value that they are expected to achieve in a timely manner or at all; difficulties in maintaining relationships with customers, employees, contractors, regulators or suppliers; the outcome of litigation involving the Evergy Companies; and other risks and uncertainties.
This list of factors is not all-inclusive because it is not possible to predict all factors. You should also carefully consider the information contained in the Evergy Companies' other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Additional risks and uncertainties are discussed from time to time in current, quarterly and annual reports filed by the Evergy Companies with the SEC. New factors emerge from time to time, and it's not possible for the Evergy Companies to predict all such factors, nor can the Evergy Companies assess the impact of each such factor on the business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained or implied in any forward-looking statement. Given these uncertainties, undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements. The Evergy Companies undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
May 7 (Reuters) - Utility Evergy (EVRG.O), opens new tab beat analysts' estimates for first-quarter adjusted profit on Thursday, helped by a recovery in regulated investments, stronger demand and higher large customer revenues.
U.S. electricity demand hit record levels in 2025 and is expected to accelerate further as large technology firms ramp up power usage at fast-growing data centers, with some individual sites using as much energy as an entire city.
The Reuters Power Up newsletter provides everything you need to know about the global energy industry. Sign up here.
"We continued to advance our large customer strategy in the first quarter and are pleased to announce the signing of an electric service agreement for a large customer project in our Kansas Central service territory," said CEO David Campbell.
U.S. utilities are seeking to raise customer power bills, mainly to pay for infrastructure upgrades, as the country's grids face an onslaught of extreme weather and ballooning demand from electrification and data centers.
Evergy provides power to 1.7 million customers in Kansas and Missouri through its operating subsidiaries Evergy Kansas Central, Evergy Metro and Evergy Missouri West.
The company reaffirmed its 2026 adjusted earning per share forecast of $4.14 to $4.34 per share.
It expects annual adjusted profit per share growth to exceed 8% beginning in 2028 and through 2030.
On an adjusted basis, Evergy reported a profit of 69 cents per share for the quarter ended March 31, beating analysts' estimate of 65 cents per share, according to data compiled by LSEG.
Reporting by Varun Sahay in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
Evergy Inc (EVRG - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.69 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.63 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.54 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.
This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +9.52%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this electric utility would post earnings of $0.57 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.42, delivering a surprise of -26.32%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times.
Evergy, which belongs to the Zacks Utility - Electric Power industry, posted revenues of $1.44 billion for the quarter ended March 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.15%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $1.37 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates two times over the last four quarters.
The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.
Evergy shares have added about 11.7% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 7.6%.
What's Next for Evergy?While Evergy has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?
There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Evergy was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.87 on $1.47 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $4.25 on $6.27 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.
Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Utility - Electric Power is currently in the bottom 40% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
Another stock from the same industry, Algonquin Power & Utilities (AQN - Free Report) , has yet to report results for the quarter ended March 2026. The results are expected to be released on May 8.
This utility operator is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.11 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -21.4%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 10.5% lower over the last 30 days to the current level.
Algonquin Power & Utilities' revenues are expected to be $697.9 million, up 0.8% from the year-ago quarter.
Key Takeaways EVRG Q1 operating EPS was 69 cents vs. 63 cents estimate, up from 55 cents in the year-ago quarter.EVRG revenues rose to $1.44B and beat estimates; fuel and purchased power and O&M expenses increased.EVRG interest expense rose 14.4% to $174.5M; long-term debt edged up to $13.15B, and cash slipped. Evergy, Inc. (EVRG - Free Report) reported first-quarter 2026 operating earnings per share (EPS) of 69 cents, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 63 cents by 9.5%. In the year-ago quarter, the company reported earnings of 55 cents.
EVRG’s Total RevenuesQuarterly revenues totaled $1.44 billion, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.41 billion by 2.2%. In the year-ago quarter, the company posted revenues of $1.37 billion.
Highlights of EVRG’s Earnings ReleaseFuel and purchased power totaled $360 billion for the year, up 1.3% from last year’s $355.3 billion.
Operating and maintenance expenses for the year amounted to $243.2 million, up 4.8% from last year’s $232 million.
Interest expenses totaled $174.5 million, up 14.4% year over year.
EVRG’s Financial UpdateCash and cash equivalents as of March 31, 2026 totaled $18.4 million compared with $19.8 million as of Dec. 31, 2025.
Long-term debt as of March 31, 2026 was $13.15 billion compared with $13.04 billion as of Dec. 31, 2025.
Cash provided by operating activities in the first three months of 2026 was $362.5 million compared with $449.6 million in the year-ago period.
EVRG’s GuidanceEvergy reaffirmed its 2026 adjusted EPS guidance in the range of $4.14-$4.34. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at $4.25, which is higher than the midpoint of the company’s guided range.
The company expects its adjusted EPS annual growth target of 6-8% through 2030.
EVRG’s Zacks RankEvergy currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Recent ReleasesPG&E Corporation (PCG - Free Report) reported first-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings per share of 43 cents, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 39 cents by 10.3%. The bottom line also increased 30.3% from the year-ago quarter’s figure of 33 cents.
PCG reported first-quarter total revenues of $6.88 billion, up 15% from $5.98 billion registered in the year-ago period. The top line also surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.46 billion by 6.6%.
Edison International (EIX - Free Report) reported first-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $1.42 per share, which outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.32 by 7.6%. The bottom line also increased 3.6% from $1.37 in the year-ago quarter.
Edison International's first-quarter operating revenues totaled $4.1 billion, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.99 billion by 2.8%. The top line also increased 7.7% from the year-ago quarter’s figure of $3.81 billion.
CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (CNP - Free Report) reported first-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of 56 cents per share, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 58 cents by 3.8%. However, the bottom line increased 5.7% from 53 cents in the year-ago quarter.
CNP generated revenues of $2.98 billion, which lagged the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.04 billion by 1.4%. However, the top line improved 2% from the year-ago reported figure of $2.92 billion.
