Analysts Assign ‘Hold’ Consensus, $120.33 Average Target for WEC Energy
Sixteen analysts covering WEC Energy Group assign a consensus 'Hold' rating—with one sell, eight hold and seven buy—and set an average 1-year price target of $120.33. Price targets among recent reports range from $113 to $125, with Ladenburg upgrading to buy and Wall Street Zen downgrading to sell.
1. Analyst Consensus Rating
Sixteen research firms covering WEC Energy Group have issued ratings, resulting in a consensus recommendation of Hold. Of these, one analyst recommends Sell, eight recommend Hold and seven recommend Buy. Brokers’ average 12-month price target stands at $120.33, reflecting moderate upside expectations. Recent research actions include TD Cowen initiating coverage with a Hold view and $125 target on October 16, JPMorgan raising its neutral price objective from $113 to $115 on January 15, Wall Street Zen downgrading to Sell on November 1, and Ladenburg Thalm/Schroders upgrading to Buy on October 13.
2. Q4 Earnings and Financial Metrics
In the fourth quarter, WEC Energy Group reported earnings per share of $1.42, beating consensus estimates by $0.03. Revenues reached $2.54 billion, exceeding forecasts by $350 million, though down 8.8% year-over-year. The company’s return on equity was 12.60% and net margin stood at 17.75%. Key balance-sheet ratios include a current ratio of 0.50, quick ratio of 0.33 and debt-to-equity ratio of 1.29. Year-to-date share performance highlights a 1-year low of $99.89, high of $118.18, 50-day moving average of $107.08 and 200-day moving average of $109.71.
3. Full-Year 2025 Results and Guidance
For full-year 2025, net income under GAAP was $1.6 billion, or $4.81 per share. Adjusted earnings, excluding a $0.46 per share settlement charge, rose 8.0% to $5.27 per share. Consolidated revenues increased by $1.2 billion to $9.8 billion. Retail electricity deliveries grew 2.2% (1.1% on a weather-normalized basis), while natural gas deliveries rose 11.5% (0.5% lower weather-normalized). The company reaffirmed its 2026 EPS guidance of $5.51–$5.61 and projects 7–8% compound annual EPS growth over the next five years.
4. Dividend Increase and Shareholder Returns
The board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.9525 per share, payable March 1 to holders of record February 13, marking a 6.7% increase over the prior payout. This equates to an annualized dividend of $3.81 and a yield of approximately 3.4%. The current dividend payout ratio is 72.02%. This marks the 23rd consecutive year of dividend increases, underscoring the company’s commitment to returning capital to shareholders.