Xcel (XEL) Q4 Earnings: Taking a Look at Key Metrics Versus Estimates
Xcel Energy (XEL) reported $3.44 billion in revenue for the quarter ended December 2023, representing a year-over-year decline of 15.1%. EPS of $0.83 for the same period compares to $0.69 a year ago.
The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.97 billion, representing a surprise of -13.34%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of -2.35%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.85.
While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.
As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.
Here is how Xcel performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
Operating revenues- Electric and natural gas: $3.41 billion compared to the $4.12 billion average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of -15.2% year over year.
Operating revenues- Other: $28 million versus $28.49 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a 0% change.
Operating revenues- Electric: $2.70 billion versus $3.17 billion estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -6% change.
Operating revenues- Natural Gas: $719 million versus $992.12 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -37.9% change.
View all Key Company Metrics for Xcel here>>>
Shares of Xcel have returned -5.4% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.5% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
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Xcel Energy Inc. (XEL) : Free Stock Analysis Report
