It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Pinnacle West (PNW). Shares have added about 3.6% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.
Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Pinnacle West due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.
Pinnacle West Third-Quarter Earnings and Sales Beat Estimates
Pinnacle West Capital Corporation reported third-quarter 2024 earnings of $3.37 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.35 by 0.6%. However, the bottom line decreased 3.7% from the year-ago quarter’s figure of $3.50.
Sales for the quarter totaled $1.77 billion, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.68 billion by 5.2%. The top line also increased 7.9% from $1.64 billion recorded in the year-ago quarter.
Total operating expenses were $1.22 billion, up 8.9% year over year. This was due to higher fuel and purchased power and increased operations and maintenance expenses.
Operating income totaled $547 million, up 5.9% from $516.3 million recorded in the year-ago quarter.
Total interest expenses were $109.9 million, up 13.4% from $96.9 million registered in the prior-year period.
Cash and cash equivalents totaled $49.2 million as of Sept. 30, 2024, compared with $4.96 million as of Dec. 31, 2023.
Long-term debt-less current maturities amounted to $8.06 billion as of Sept. 30, 2024, compared with $7.54 billion as of Dec. 31, 2023.
Net cash flow provided by operating activities in the first nine months of 2024 totaled $1.17 billion compared with $0.83 billion recorded a year ago.
The company raised its 2024 consolidated earnings guidance to $5.00-$5.20 per share compared with the previous projection of $4.60-$4.80. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the same is pegged at $4.90, lower than the company’s new guided range.
Pinnacle West plans to invest $9.65 billion in the 2024-2027 period to further strengthen its operations.
Management expects its retail customers to increase 1.5-2.5% in 2024 from the 2023 levels.
The company expects 2025 consolidated earnings to be in the range of $4.40-$4.60 per share on a weather-normalized basis.
It turns out, fresh estimates have trended upward during the past month.
The consensus estimate has shifted 64.17% due to these changes.
Currently, Pinnacle West has a subpar Growth Score of D, however its Momentum Score is doing a lot better with an A. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock was allocated a grade of B on the value side, putting it in the second quintile for this investment strategy.
Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of B. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.
Estimates have been broadly trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions looks promising. Notably, Pinnacle West has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.
Pinnacle West belongs to the Zacks Utility - Electric Power industry. Another stock from the same industry, WEC Energy Group (WEC), has gained 2.5% over the past month. More than a month has passed since the company reported results for the quarter ended September 2024.
WEC Energy reported revenues of $1.86 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -4.8%. EPS of $0.82 for the same period compares with $1 a year ago.
For the current quarter, WEC Energy is expected to post earnings of $1.48 per share, indicating a change of +34.6% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +1.7% over the last 30 days.
WEC Energy has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) based on the overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions. Additionally, the stock has a VGM Score of D.
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