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Investing.com - BofA Securities has lowered its price target on FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE:FE) to $44.00 from $45.00 while maintaining a Neutral rating on the stock. The utility company, currently valued at $23.26 billion, trades near its 52-week low and offers a 4.42% dividend yield, having maintained dividend payments for 28 consecutive years.
The firm cited ongoing uncertainty and risk associated with the Ohio rate case as a limiting factor for the stock’s potential re-rating, despite FirstEnergy trading at an 11% discount to peers. Reply briefs filed on July 7 showed PUCO Staff remains open to lifting the base rate case revenue freeze but unwilling to adjust the DCR revenue cap higher. According to InvestingPro, the stock currently trades at a P/E ratio of 21.37x, suggesting relatively high valuation compared to near-term earnings growth potential.
BofA Securities estimates FirstEnergy’s second-quarter 2025 earnings per share at $0.48, below the consensus estimate of $0.53 and the comparable adjusted EPS of $0.51 from the second quarter of 2024. Notably, FirstEnergy will report its next earnings on July 30, 2025, with InvestingPro data showing that 4 analysts have recently revised their earnings estimates downward.
The firm maintained its earnings per share estimates of $2.49 for 2025, $2.66 for 2026, and $2.87 for 2027, which remain slightly below consensus estimates of $2.53, $2.71, and $2.87 respectively.
The price target reduction reflects a mark-to-market adjustment to the utility group and a move to 2027 EPS and P/E base, according to BofA Securities.
In other recent news, FirstEnergy Corp. announced the launch of a $2.15 billion convertible notes offering, with the potential to raise an additional $350 million if initial purchasers exercise their options. The company plans to use the proceeds to repurchase part of its outstanding convertible notes, repay or refinance existing debt, and for other corporate purposes. Additionally, FirstEnergy initiated another convertible notes offering totaling $1.8 billion, with a similar strategy for the use of proceeds. In a separate development, FirstEnergy appointed Michael Auseré as Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis to oversee long-range planning and budgeting. Analyst activity surrounding FirstEnergy included Mizuho (NYSE:MFG) Securities raising the company’s stock price target to $43 while maintaining a Neutral rating, following a first-quarter earnings report that exceeded expectations. Evercore ISI also raised the stock target to $47 and maintained an Outperform rating, citing potential benefits from legislative developments and FirstEnergy’s strategic supply chain diversification. Both analyst firms highlighted regulatory and legislative challenges, particularly concerning the Ohio rate case and pending state legislation. These developments reflect ongoing efforts by FirstEnergy to manage financial performance amid evolving market conditions.
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