XEL Xcel Energy
$76.08
▲ 1.3%Updated Oct 16, 2:25 PM ET
Report Card
XEL at a glance — five pillars scored 0–100 from real filed financials.
How the 0–100 rating is calculatedOverall: Neutral · 52/100. A wider, greener shape means more pillars look healthy. Dividends scores 0 when a company pays none — that is a choice, not a flaw.
Price — Past Year
▲ Up 16.8% in the year to Jul 6, 2026
Key Metrics
Market Cap
$49.30B
P/E
23.8x
Forward P/E (est.)
23.24x
ROE
9.3%
Revenue Growth
8.0%
EPS Growth
2.4%
Profit Margin
14.2%
FCF Yield
9.9%
Debt / Equity
1.49x
ROIC
3.0%
Interest Coverage
1.76x
Current Ratio
0.7x
Dividend Yield
2.9%
Implied Growth (rev. DCF)
—
Rating Score
52/100
Business Overview
Xcel Energy (XEL) is a large-cap company in the Multi-Utilities industry, part of the Utilities sector of the S&P 500, with a market value around $49.30B.
Our model rates XEL Neutral (52/100) on growth, profitability, financial health, and valuation. The summary below is built from its filed financials and current ratios and refreshes automatically.
Technical Analysis (Educational)
Technical analysis reads price and volume to judge momentum and timing. It complements the fundamentals above — it does not replace them. Here is what XEL's chart says today, with each tool explained.
Trend — moving averages. A moving average is the average closing price over a window, which smooths out daily noise. XEL trades near $76.08, below its 50-day average ($79.64) and 200-day average ($78.86). Price below both averages is a downtrend — momentum is against buyers for now.
Momentum — RSI. The Relative Strength Index runs 0–100 and measures how strong recent gains are versus losses. Above 70 is "overbought", below 30 "oversold". At 65 it is in neutral territory — neither stretched nor washed out.
MACD. MACD compares two moving averages to flag shifts in momentum. Its histogram is currently positive — short-term momentum is improving.
Volatility — ATR. Average True Range is the typical daily move. XEL's is $1.62 (~2.1% of price), so swings of about that size each day are normal — handy for setting a stop that isn't too tight.
Support & resistance. In the month to Jul 6, 2026, XEL found buyers near $76.62 (support) and sellers near $82.88 (resistance); its 52-week range then was $66.56–$84.23. A decisive break beyond either edge often marks the next move.
Volume. The latest session traded 0.7× the 20-day average — lighter than usual, so the move carries less conviction. Rising volume on up-days suggests real buying; on down-days, real selling.
Educational information to help you read a chart — not a recommendation or a forecast. The indicators were last computed on Jul 6, 2026; the price is current.
Revenue Growth
Profitability
Gross Margin
40.4%
Operating Margin
18.1%
Net Margin
14.2%
ROE
9.3%
Xcel Energy keeps about 14.2% of each sales dollar as net profit, with a 40.4% gross margin and 18.1% operating margin. Return on equity is 9.3% and return on invested capital about 3.0%. Margins are moderate — typical of a competitive but profitable business.
Debt Analysis
Total Debt
$36.95B
Net Debt
$34.94B
Net Debt / EBITDA
13.53x
Debt / Equity
1.49x
Leverage: debt-to-equity is 1.5x, and operating profit covers interest about 1.8x, with a current ratio of 0.7x. That is a moderate, manageable debt load for most businesses. It carries roughly $36.95B of total debt against $2.01B of cash.
Cash Flow Analysis
Operating CF
$4.08B
Free Cash Flow
-$6.83B
FCF Margin
—
In the latest year Xcel Energy produced about $4.08B of operating cash flow but negative free cash flow as it invested heavily. That is a free-cash-flow yield of about 9.9% on today's price. Strong cash generation funds dividends, buybacks, and reinvestment.
Dividend Safety
Can the payout survive a bad year? Scored from filed cash flow, earnings coverage, and the raise/cut record.
What to look for in a dividend stockThe dividend is being paid, but coverage or consistency is thinner than an income investor should rely on without a closer look.
Dividend yield
2.9%
Per share (latest FY)
$2.28
Total paid (latest FY)
$1.28B
History on record
10 years
free cash flow was negative in the latest year — the dividend is being financed
64% of net income paid out
total dividends increased 9 years in a row
no cuts in the last 10 years on record
Coverage uses the latest fiscal year as filed with the SEC; the streak counts total dollars paid (per-share figures can carry split artifacts). Educational information, not income advice.
Valuation Analysis
P/E
23.8x
P/S
3.37x
P/B
1.88x
EV / EBITDA
—
XEL trades at 23.8x trailing earnings (about 23.2x on estimated forward earnings), 3.4x sales, and 1.9x book value. That is a fairly typical valuation for a profitable company.
Metrics vs. Sector Range
Where XEL sits versus the Utilities companies we cover.
Bands show the middle half (25th–75th percentile) of the 38 Utilities companies in our coverage that have fundamentals data — the peer-relative anchor professional comps analysis uses. Context only — not investment advice.
Sector Peer Comparison
How XEL stacks up against its Utilities peers — valuation, profitability, and growth versus the sector median.
Among the 38 rated Utilities companies we cover, XEL ranks #22 by our overall rating. It trades at a premium versus the sector on earnings (23.8x P/E vs. 20.5x median) with a lower return on equity (9.3% vs. 10.3%) and slower revenue growth (8.0% vs. 8.8%).
P/E vs sector
23.8x
median 20.5x
ROE vs sector
9.3%
median 10.3%
Growth vs sector
8.0%
median 8.8%
Sector rank
#22
of 38 rated
Valuation vs. quality map
The sweet spot is upper-left: more profitable (higher ROE) for a lower P/E. Dashed lines mark the sector median.
Peers are the closest Utilities companies by sub-industry and size, preferring ones with full data. Sector medians and rank use the 38 rated companies among the 47 Utilities stocks we cover. Educational, not a recommendation.
Bull Case
The case for XEL:
- Healthy free-cash-flow yield (~9.9%) funds buybacks and dividends.
- Pays a 2.9% dividend on top of any price gains.
Bear Case
The case against XEL:
- Interest coverage is thin (1.8x), so debt costs bite.
- Like any single stock, it is exposed to competition, the economic cycle, and shifts in its end markets.
Key Risks
Balance-sheet risk — debt/equity of 1.5x magnifies the impact of higher rates or weaker earnings.
Market risk — sector rotation, the economic cycle, and broad sentiment move the stock regardless of fundamentals.
Investment Thesis
On balance, the picture is mixed: Xcel Energy is a large-cap utilities business growing at a mature pace, with solid profitability, and a heavier debt load to watch. It trades at 23.8x earnings, which our model scores Neutral (52/100). Weigh this against your own goals and time horizon — this is educational information, not a recommendation.
Latest SEC Filings
XEL's most recent filings, straight from SEC EDGAR. Annual and quarterly reports are the deep dives; 8-Ks flag material events the moment they happen. How to read a 10-K
In the Idea Lab
XEL — frequently asked questions
Is XEL a good stock to buy?
We don't give buy or sell advice. Our model rates Xcel Energy Neutral (52/100) based on its growth, profitability, financial health, and valuation — use that as a research starting point and make your own decision.
What is XEL's rating on The Stocks School?
Xcel Energy currently scores 52/100 (Neutral) on our transparent model, which weighs real fundamentals: growth, margins, returns on capital, balance-sheet strength, and valuation.
How our ratings work →Where does XEL's data come from?
Live price data plus real fundamentals and 5-year financials pulled directly from Xcel Energy's SEC filings — refreshed automatically, not hand-entered.
How is the 5-year projection for XEL calculated?
It's a scenario model. It starts from the latest annual revenue and net margin in SEC filings, grows revenue at an assumed rate (trailing revenue growth by default), and applies a P/E range built around today's multiple to show the resulting share-price range. When a stock has no growth or P/E data, the starting values are placeholders. It's a tool for thinking, not a prediction.
Is this XEL analysis financial advice?
No. Everything on this page is educational research, not financial advice or a recommendation to buy or sell XEL. Always do your own research and consider a licensed professional.
Data notice. Fundamentals and financial statements are sourced from company filings (SEC EDGAR) and market-data providers; prices and market caps refresh on trading days and may be delayed. Ratings, projections, technical signals, and written summaries are model- or rule-generated for education and may simplify or lag the latest filings.
Not advice. Nothing on this page is investment advice or a recommendation to buy, hold, or sell any security. Do your own research and consult a licensed financial professional before investing.