KeyCorp Cuts CenterPoint Energy (NYSE:CNP) Price Target to $46.00

CenterPoint Energy (NYSE:CNP) had its target price lowered by KeyCorp from $47.00 to $46.00 in a research note published on Thursday morning, Marketbeat reports. The firm currently has an overweight rating on the utilities provider’s stock. KeyCorp also issued estimates for CenterPoint Energy’s Q2 2026 earnings at $0.36 EPS, Q3 2026 earnings at $0.51 EPS, Q4 2026 earnings at $0.46 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $1.91 EPS, FY2027 earnings at $2.09 EPS, FY2028 earnings at $2.28 EPS, FY2029 earnings at $2.48 EPS and FY2030 earnings at $2.70 EPS.

Several other brokerages have also recently weighed in on CNP. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of CenterPoint Energy from $45.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 16th. Morgan Stanley set a $40.00 price objective on CenterPoint Energy in a research note on Wednesday. Evercore set a $45.00 target price on CenterPoint Energy in a report on Monday, May 4th. BTIG Research began coverage on CenterPoint Energy in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. They set a “neutral” rating on the stock. Finally, Barclays boosted their price target on CenterPoint Energy from $38.00 to $44.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 15th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $45.38.

CenterPoint Energy Stock Performance

CNP opened at $44.59 on Thursday. The company’s 50 day moving average is $43.16 and its 200 day moving average is $42.30. The company has a current ratio of 1.16, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.96. The company has a market cap of $29.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.36, a PEG ratio of 2.64 and a beta of 0.46. CenterPoint Energy has a 12-month low of $36.60 and a 12-month high of $45.22.

CenterPoint Energy (NYSE:CNP) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The utilities provider reported $0.56 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.58 by ($0.02). CenterPoint Energy had a net margin of 11.38% and a return on equity of 10.56%. The business had revenue of $2.98 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.98 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.53 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts predict that CenterPoint Energy will post 1.91 EPS for the current year.

CenterPoint Energy Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 20th will be issued a dividend of $0.24 per share. This is an increase from CenterPoint Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.23. This represents a $0.96 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 20th. CenterPoint Energy’s payout ratio is presently 56.44%.

Institutional Trading of CenterPoint Energy

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd raised its position in shares of CenterPoint Energy by 49.6% during the 4th quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 709 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 235 shares during the period. Focus Financial Network Inc. increased its stake in CenterPoint Energy by 4.9% in the 2nd quarter. Focus Financial Network Inc. now owns 5,089 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $224,000 after buying an additional 239 shares in the last quarter. Zacks Investment Management increased its stake in CenterPoint Energy by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. Zacks Investment Management now owns 31,142 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $1,208,000 after buying an additional 256 shares in the last quarter. CX Institutional increased its stake in CenterPoint Energy by 3.7% in the 2nd quarter. CX Institutional now owns 7,643 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $337,000 after buying an additional 275 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Salomon & Ludwin LLC raised its holdings in CenterPoint Energy by 16.1% during the fourth quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 2,226 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $85,000 after acquiring an additional 308 shares during the period. 91.77% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting CenterPoint Energy

Here are the key news stories impacting CenterPoint Energy this week:

• Positive Sentiment: KeyCorp lifted its FY2026 EPS estimate for CenterPoint Energy to $1.91, matching the consensus and signaling confidence in near-term earnings. MarketBeat CNP report
• Positive Sentiment: KeyCorp also increased its Q2, Q3, FY2027, FY2028, FY2029, and FY2030 earnings estimates, reinforcing a more constructive long-term outlook for CenterPoint Energy. MarketBeat CNP report
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks upgraded CenterPoint Energy to Rank #2 (Buy), which may attract additional investors looking for improving earnings momentum. Article: What Makes CenterPoint (CNP) a New Buy Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Another Zacks note highlighted CenterPoint as a possible dividend stock, but did not provide a major new catalyst on its own. Article: CenterPoint Energy (CNP) Could Be a Great Choice
• Neutral Sentiment: KeyCorp trimmed its Q4 2026 EPS estimate slightly and BMO Capital Markets reportedly lowered expectations, but these moves were modest and partly offset by the broader round of upward revisions. Article: Centerpoint Energy (CNP) Receives a Hold from Morgan Stanley
• Negative Sentiment: Morgan Stanley reportedly initiated or maintained a Hold view on CenterPoint Energy, which may temper enthusiasm somewhat. Article: Centerpoint Energy (CNP) Receives a Hold from Morgan Stanley

CenterPoint Energy Company Profile

CenterPoint Energy, Inc (NYSE: CNP) is a Houston-based regulated utility company that provides electric and natural gas delivery services and related infrastructure operations. The company’s principal activities center on the transmission and distribution of electricity in the greater Houston metropolitan area and the distribution of natural gas to customers across several states in the Midwest and South. As a vertically integrated utility, CenterPoint focuses on the reliable delivery of energy through owned and operated networks of lines, pipelines and associated facilities.

CenterPoint’s core businesses include regulated electric transmission and distribution services, regulated natural gas distribution, and the operation and maintenance of energy infrastructure.