Stifel Increases Price Target for Northwestern Natural (NWN)
Company Overview: Northwest Natural Holding Company (NYSE:NWN) operates natural gas and water utilities in the Pacific Northwest and Texas, and has been recognized as one of the 14 best utility dividend stocks to buy now.
Stock Performance: Following a mixed third-quarter report, Stifel analyst Selman Akyol raised NWN's price target from $50 to $52 while maintaining a 'Buy' rating, despite the company missing revenue expectations.
Financial Highlights: NWN reported an adjusted loss per share of $0.73, which beat estimates, and a revenue of $164.7 million, which fell short of expectations, although it experienced a 20% year-over-year revenue increase.
Dividend Commitment: The company has increased its dividend for the fourth quarter, marking the 70th consecutive year of annual dividend increases, making it one of only three companies on the NYSE with such a record.
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- Record Earnings Per Share: Northwest Natural Holding Company reported an adjusted earnings per share of $2.93 for 2025, a 25.8% increase from $2.33 in 2024, driven by new rates and strong organic customer growth that enhanced profitability.
- Innovative Capital Investment: The company achieved a record capital investment of $467 million in 2025, with $340 million allocated to acquisitions, demonstrating its proactive strategy in expanding operations and enhancing market competitiveness.
- Outstanding Water Segment Performance: The water segment contributed $0.35 per share, accounting for 12% of the company's adjusted earnings per share, exceeding expectations and indicating its significant role in overall performance.
- Future Growth Outlook: The company anticipates earnings per share for 2026 to range between $2.95 and $3.15, maintaining a long-term growth rate of 4% to 6% annually, with potential increases to 5% to 7% if the MX3 project receives approval.
- Earnings Beat: Northwest Natural Holding reported a Q4 non-GAAP EPS of $1.39, exceeding expectations by $0.03, indicating the company's resilience and stability in profitability.
- Revenue Miss: Despite a 6.3% year-over-year revenue increase to $394.16 million, the figure fell short of expectations by $25.88 million, suggesting potential fluctuations in market demand affecting sales performance.
- Long-Term Guidance: The company initiated 2026 EPS guidance between $2.95 and $3.15, slightly below the consensus of $2.99, reflecting a cautiously optimistic outlook on future profitability.
- Capital Expenditure Plans: Expected capital expenditures of $2.6 to $2.9 billion from 2026 to 2030 are projected to drive a 6-8% growth in the rate base, supporting the company's future expansion and investment strategies.
- Financial Performance Boost: Northwest Natural Holdings reported an EPS of $2.77 and a record adjusted EPS of $2.93 for 2025, significantly up from $2.03 and $2.33 in 2024, reflecting ongoing improvements in profitability that bolster investor confidence.
- Significant Customer Growth: The company added approximately 98,000 gas and water utility connections over the past 12 months, achieving an overall growth rate of 11.1%, primarily driven by the acquisition of SiEnergy, which will further propel future revenues and market share.
- Record Capital Investment: A record investment of $467 million in utility systems was made to enhance reliability and resiliency, which not only improves service quality but also lays a strong foundation for future business expansion.
- Long-term Growth Outlook: The company initiated 2026 EPS guidance of $2.95 to $3.15 and expects a rate base growth of 6-8% through 2030, demonstrating confidence in future development and a clear strategic plan.
- Earnings Release Companies: Major companies expected to report earnings before Friday's open include Arbor Realty Trust (ARR), Energy Fuels (UUUU), AES Corporation (AES), Frontline plc (FRO), and Globalstar (GSAT), all of which hold significant positions in their respective industries.
- Additional Earnings Forecasts: In addition to the major players, other companies slated for earnings release include AMR, AMRX, ANIP, AUGO, BASFY, CRI, DCBO, DK, DKL, EC, EXK, FLGT, GLP, GOGO, ICAGY, INTT, NWN, PSO, SHO, TAC, TCPC, and YPF, showcasing a diverse market landscape.
- Market Reaction Expectations: Investors are expected to closely monitor these earnings reports to assess their potential impact on market dynamics, particularly in light of increasing economic uncertainty, as results could lead to significant stock price fluctuations.
- Earnings Season Calendar: Seeking Alpha offers a comprehensive earnings season calendar, assisting investors in staying informed to make more informed investment decisions.
- Earnings Announcement Date: Northwest Natural Holding (NWN) is set to release its FY earnings report on February 27 before market open, with a consensus EPS estimate of $1.36, reflecting a significant year-over-year decline of 41.6%, which may dampen investor confidence.
- Revenue Expectations: The company anticipates revenue of $1.32 billion, representing a 14.8% year-over-year increase, indicating a positive trend in revenue growth, although the substantial drop in EPS could impact overall performance evaluations.
- Historical Performance Review: Over the past two years, NWN has beaten EPS estimates 75% of the time and revenue estimates 50% of the time, suggesting a degree of stability and reliability in the company's financial performance.
- Recent Estimate Changes: In the last three months, EPS estimates have seen one upward revision with no downward adjustments, reflecting analysts' cautiously optimistic outlook on the company's future performance, which may influence investor decisions.





