NiSource, Inc (NYSE:NI) Given Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Shares of NiSource, Inc (NYSE:NI) have been assigned a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the twelve research firms that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $50.50.

Several research analysts have issued reports on the company. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on NiSource from $51.00 to $52.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Evercore set a $52.00 target price on NiSource in a report on Monday, May 11th. KeyCorp assumed coverage on NiSource in a research report on Tuesday, March 31st. They set an “overweight” rating and a $52.00 target price on the stock. Weiss Ratings downgraded NiSource from a “buy (b+)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Friday, April 24th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $51.00 price target on shares of NiSource in a research report on Monday, April 20th.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Melanie B. Berman sold 15,000 shares of NiSource stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $47.68, for a total value of $715,200.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 35,990 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,716,003.20. This trade represents a 29.42% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Melody Birmingham sold 10,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $47.19, for a total transaction of $471,900.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 117,899 shares in the company, valued at $5,563,653.81. This represents a 7.82% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 27,500 shares of company stock valued at $1,305,675. Corporate insiders own 0.37% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of NiSource

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT boosted its position in shares of NiSource by 113.8% in the fourth quarter. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT now owns 620 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 330 shares during the period. Strive Financial Group LLC acquired a new position in NiSource during the fourth quarter valued at $26,000. Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych PZU SA purchased a new stake in NiSource in the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. DV Equities LLC purchased a new stake in NiSource in the 4th quarter worth about $28,000. Finally, Acumen Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in NiSource during the 4th quarter worth about $28,000. 91.64% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

NiSource Stock Performance

NYSE:NI opened at $47.70 on Monday. NiSource has a twelve month low of $38.45 and a twelve month high of $49.21. The company has a current ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 0.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.30. The company has a 50-day moving average of $47.23 and a 200-day moving average of $45.79. The firm has a market cap of $22.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.82 and a beta of 0.55.

NiSource (NYSE:NI) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, May 6th. The utilities provider reported $1.06 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.06. NiSource had a net margin of 14.15% and a return on equity of 8.31%. The business had revenue of $2.36 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.52 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.85 EPS. NiSource has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.020-2.070 EPS. Analysts forecast that NiSource will post 2.05 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

NiSource Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, August 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 31st will be paid a dividend of $0.30 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 31st. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. NiSource’s dividend payout ratio is currently 59.70%.

About NiSource

NiSource, Inc (NYSE: NI) is a publicly traded energy holding company headquartered in Merrillville, Indiana, that primarily owns and operates regulated local gas and electric utilities in the United States. Through its operating subsidiaries, the company delivers natural gas and electricity to residential, commercial and industrial customers and provides the associated distribution and transmission services that keep local energy systems functioning.

The company’s core activities include natural gas distribution, electric transmission and distribution, system operations, maintenance and emergency response.