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NextEra Energy (NEE) Increases Despite Market Slip: Here's What You Need to Know

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In the latest close session, NextEra Energy (NEE - Free Report) was up +1.38% at $87.62. The stock outpaced the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.1%. Meanwhile, the Dow gained 0.35%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, lost 0.43%.

Shares of the parent company of Florida Power & Light Co. have depreciated by 1.39% over the course of the past month, underperforming the Utilities sector's loss of 0.41%, and the S&P 500's loss of 1.34%.

Analysts and investors alike will be keeping a close eye on the performance of NextEra Energy in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company's earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be $1.13, reflecting a 7.62% increase from the same quarter last year. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenue is projecting net sales of $7.97 billion, up 18.96% from the year-ago period.

For the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $4.01 per share and a revenue of $31.89 billion, representing changes of +8.09% and +16.34%, respectively, from the prior year.

Investors should also take note of any recent adjustments to analyst estimates for NextEra Energy. These revisions help to show the ever-changing nature of near-term business trends. Therefore, positive revisions in estimates convey analysts' confidence in the business performance and profit potential.

Our research suggests that these changes in estimates have a direct relationship with upcoming stock price performance. To utilize this, we have created the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model that integrates these estimate changes and provides a functional rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, which varies between #1 (Strong Buy) and #5 (Strong Sell), carries an impressive track record of exceeding expectations, confirmed by external audits, with stocks at #1 delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.02% higher. As of now, NextEra Energy holds a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

From a valuation perspective, NextEra Energy is currently exchanging hands at a Forward P/E ratio of 21.55. This expresses a premium compared to the average Forward P/E of 18.25 of its industry.

It is also worth noting that NEE currently has a PEG ratio of 2.53. Comparable to the widely accepted P/E ratio, the PEG ratio also accounts for the company's projected earnings growth. The Utility - Electric Power was holding an average PEG ratio of 2.73 at yesterday's closing price.

The Utility - Electric Power industry is part of the Utilities sector. With its current Zacks Industry Rank of 156, this industry ranks in the bottom 37% of all industries, numbering over 250.

The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the strength of our separate industry groups by calculating the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks contained within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

To follow NEE in the coming trading sessions, be sure to utilize Zacks.com.

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