American Electric Power Status Elevated to Hold by StockNews.com Analysts

On a recent Sunday report, investment analysts at StockNews.com adjusted their stance on American Electric Power AEP, shifting from a 'sell' rating to a 'hold' position. This modification reflects a change in their outlook on the utility company's stock performance.

Analyst Ratings and Price Targets

Alongside StockNews.com's update, other research firms have also published their latest findings on AEP. One such update was from Cfra, which set a lower price target for American Electric Power, dropping it from $99.00 to $94.00, yet maintaining a 'buy' rating. Barclays also revised its price objective from $88.00 to $82.00, endorsing an 'overweight' rating. In contrast, Guggenheim's research resulted in reducing their price objective from $96.00 to $85.00.

Additionally, an upgrade from LADENBURG THALM/SH SH took place, bringing American Electric Power from a 'sell' rating to a 'neutral' rating. Conversely, Bank of America slashed their price objective from $91.00 to $77.00. With varying perspectives, the general consensus among six equities research analysts is to maintain a hold on the company, while nine others recommend a 'buy' status. Based on MarketBeat compiled data, American Electric Power garners an average rating of 'Moderate Buy' and a consensus target price of $91.37.

Recent Trading Activity for American Electric Power

AEP stock opened at a price of $77.70 on the last trading day leading up to this report. The figures reveal a company with a current ratio of 0.60, a quick ratio of 0.44, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.45. With a fifty-day simple moving average of $76.40 and a two-hundred-day moving average of $81.38, American Electric Power has demonstrated fluctuations, touching a 12-month low at $69.38 and peaking at a 12-month high of $100.32. The business currently holds a market cap of $40.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.82, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.03, and a beta of 0.49.

Delving into the latest earnings, AEP reported a quarterly EPS of $1.77, falling short of the consensus estimate of $1.85 by $0.08. The utility company also saw a revenue of $5.30 billion for the quarter, slightly below the expected $5.37 billion. Despite a year-over-year decrease of 3.6% in revenue, American Electric Power holds a return on equity of 10.73% and a net margin of 11.72%. Looking ahead, analysts project an EPS of $5.27 for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors and American Electric Power

In the world of hedge funds and institutional investors, there has been a mixed pattern of increases and decreases in stakes in AEP. Institutions like Loomis Sayles & Co. LP expanded their holdings by 23.9% during the third quarter, owning 928 shares valued at approximately $70,000. Rational Advisors LLC, in a notable shift, increased their investment by 189.3%, holding 1,455 shares valued at around $109,000. Conversely, investors such as Longfellow Investment Management Co. LLC established a new position, while Valley Wealth Managers Inc. augmented their existing stake by 89.3%. Overall, 74.68% of AEP's shares are held by institutional investors.

Corporate Profile of American Electric Power

An electric public utility holding company by nature, American Electric Power Company, Inc. AEP executes the generation, transmission, and distribution of electrical energy. Supplying to retail and wholesale customers across the United States, AEP operates through distinct segments, including Vertically Integrated Utilities, Transmission and Distribution Utilities, AEP Transmission Holdco, as well as Generation & Marketing segments.

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