Is Wall Street Bullish or Bearish on Alliant Energy Stock?

Valued at a market cap of $15.5 billion, Alliant Energy Corporation (LNT) is a utility holding company that provides regulated electric and natural gas services. The Madison, Wisconsin-based company has a diversified fuel mix which consists of coal, natural gas and renewable resources. 

This utility company has outpaced the broader market over the past 52 weeks. Shares of LNT have rallied 17.8% over this time frame, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has gained 12.7%. Moreover, on a YTD basis, the stock is up 2.2%, compared to SPX’s marginal uptick. 

Zooming in further, LNT has also outpaced the Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund’s (XLU) 11.8% rise over the past 52 weeks. However, it has lagged behind the ETF’s 5.2% gain on a YTD basis. 

On May 8, LNT released its Q1 results and shares of the company surged 1.1% in the following trading session. It posted revenue of $1.1 billion, which improved 9.4% from the year-ago quarter, thanks to higher electric and gas utility sales. Moreover, due to robust growth in its utilities and corporate services earnings, its overall profit advanced 33.9% year-over-year to $0.83 per share and surpassed the consensus estimates by a notable 45.6%.

Additionally, LNT reaffirmed its fiscal 2025 EPS guidance range of $3.15 to $3.25, and revised its capital expenditure forecast for fiscal years 2025 to 2028 to a total of approximately $11.5 billion. 

For the current fiscal year, ending in December, analysts expect LNT’s EPS to grow 5.9% year over year to $3.22. The company’s earnings surprise history is mixed. It exceeded the consensus estimates in three of the last four quarters, while missing on another occasion. 

Among the 12 analysts covering the stock, the consensus rating is a “Moderate Buy” which is based on four “Strong Buy,” seven “Hold,” and one “Strong Sell” rating. 

This configuration is slightly less bullish than a month ago, with no analyst suggesting a “Strong Sell” rating. 

On May 12, Andrew Weisel from The Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) maintained a “Hold” rating on LNT with a price target of $67, which indicates a 10.8% potential upside from the current levels. 

The mean price target of $64.90 represents a 7.3% premium from LNT’s current price levels, while the Street-high price target of $70 suggests an upside potential of 15.8%.