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Eversource Rides on Strategic Investments & Renewable Expansion

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Eversource Energy’s (ES - Free Report) long-term capital investment plans to expand its transmission and distribution infrastructure boost its service reliability. The company is also set to benefit from its renewable operations.

However, this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company faces risks related to substandard performance from third parties.

Tailwinds for Eversource

Eversource operates a capital-intensive business with relatively steady revenue streams. Its capital investments serve as a proxy for future organic growth. The company reiterates its capital investment plan of $23.1 billion for 2024-2028, out of which it intends to invest nearly $15.5 billion in electric and natural gas distribution networks and $5.4 billion in the electric transmission segment.

Systematic expenditure is enabling ES to expand and strengthen its transmission and distribution operations, as well as efficiently serve its electric and natural gas customers. The company will invest $2 billion in the replacement of aging infrastructure, $1.5 billion in the cable underground program, $1 billion in substation development and $0.5 billion in clean energy during 2024-2028.

Eversource has closed the sale of Sunrise Wind project to Ørsted and that of its South Fork and Revolution Wind projects to Global Infrastructure Partners. This highlights ES’ exit from the offshore wind business. The company will now concentrate on its resources on being a pure play regulated utility. These assets should provide low-risk regulated growth opportunities and enable ES to provide clean energy transition benefits to its customers.

Eversource’s Headwinds

The company’s operations are subject to federal, state and local legislative requirements, as well as extensive environmental regulations. Any modification in the existing regulations or introduction of new mandates might affect its financial performance.

Eversource outsources its certain business functions to third-party suppliers and service providers. Substandard performance by these third parties could harm its business, reputation and results of operations.

ES Stock’s Price Performance

In the past three months, shares of the company have risen 18.2% compared with the industry’s 16.9% growth.

 

Zacks Investment Research
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Stocks to Consider

Some better-ranked stocks from the same industry are FirstEnergy Corporation (FE - Free Report) , Xcel Energy (XEL - Free Report) and WEC Energy (WEC - Free Report) , each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

FE’s long-term (three to five years) earnings growth rate is 7.04%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2024 earnings per share (EPS) indicates a year-over-year increase of 5.5%.

XEL’s long-term earnings growth rate is 6.39%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2024 EPS indicates year-over-year growth of 6%.

WEC’s long-term earnings growth rate is 7.98%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2024 EPS indicates a year-over-year improvement of 5.2%.
 

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