Ranch Capital Advisors Inc. Purchases 588 Shares of NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE)

Ranch Capital Advisors Inc. lifted its position in shares of NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE) by 3.7% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 16,673 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 588 shares during the quarter. Ranch Capital Advisors Inc.’s holdings in NextEra Energy were worth $1,195,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Burkett Financial Services LLC boosted its holdings in NextEra Energy by 1,229.6% in the fourth quarter. Burkett Financial Services LLC now owns 359 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 332 shares in the last quarter. Sugar Maple Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in NextEra Energy in the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. Quarry LP acquired a new stake in NextEra Energy in the third quarter worth about $33,000. Luken Investment Analytics LLC acquired a new stake in NextEra Energy in the fourth quarter worth about $36,000. Finally, Midwest Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in NextEra Energy in the fourth quarter worth about $44,000. Institutional investors own 78.72% of the company’s stock.

NextEra Energy Stock Performance

Shares of NextEra Energy stock opened at $72.86 on Monday. NextEra Energy, Inc. has a 52 week low of $56.31 and a 52 week high of $86.10. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $70.30 and its 200-day simple moving average is $76.03. The firm has a market cap of $149.88 billion, a PE ratio of 21.62, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.45 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a quick ratio of 0.38, a current ratio of 0.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20.

NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 24th. The utilities provider reported $0.53 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.53. NextEra Energy had a return on equity of 11.85% and a net margin of 28.06%. Equities analysts forecast that NextEra Energy, Inc. will post 3.68 earnings per share for the current year.

NextEra Energy Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 17th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be paid a $0.5665 dividend. This represents a $2.27 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.11%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. This is a positive change from NextEra Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.52. NextEra Energy’s dividend payout ratio is 67.06%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on NEE shares. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price target on NextEra Energy from $81.00 to $77.00 in a report on Monday, January 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on NextEra Energy from $99.00 to $90.00 in a report on Monday, January 27th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on NextEra Energy from $82.00 to $84.00 in a research report on Monday, January 27th. Evercore ISI reduced their price target on NextEra Energy from $84.00 to $79.00 and set an “in-line” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, January 27th. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on NextEra Energy from $93.00 to $94.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 23rd. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, NextEra Energy has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $85.85.

Insider Activity

In related news, CAO James Michael May sold 2,383 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $68.09, for a total value of $162,258.47. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 27,427 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,867,504.43. The trade was a 7.99 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.18% of the company’s stock.

About NextEra Energy

NextEra Energy, Inc, through its subsidiaries, generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electric power to retail and wholesale customers in North America. The company generates electricity through wind, solar, nuclear,natural gas, and other clean energy. It also develops, constructs, and operates long-term contracted assets that consists of clean energy solutions, such as renewable generation facilities, battery storage projects, and electric transmission facilities; sells energy commodities; and owns, develops, constructs, manages and operates electric generation facilities in wholesale energy markets.