Minneapolis, Minnesota-based Xcel Energy Inc. (XEL) engages in the generation, purchasing, transmission, distribution, and sale of electricity. With a market cap of $43.4 billion, Xcel operates through Regulated Electric Utility and Regulated Natural Gas Utility segments.

The utilities giant has outperformed the broader market over the past year. XEL stock has gained 8.5% on a YTD basis and 25.5% over the past 52 weeks, outpacing the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 7.8% gains in 2025 and 21.9% returns over the past year.

Narrowing the focus, XEL has also outperformed the Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund’s (XLU) 18.1% surge over the past year, but lagged behind XLU’s 14.4% gains in 2025.

Xcel Energy’s stock prices gained 1.5% in the trading session following the release of its solid Q2 results on Jul. 31. Driven by growth in both electric and natural gas revenues, the company’s overall topline for the quarter increased 8.6% year-over-year to $3.3 billion. Further, the company expects to observe a surge in electric demand in the coming years and is making investments to meet the growing demand.

Meanwhile, the company’s EPS for the quarter grew 38.9% year-over-year to $0.75, surpassing the consensus estimates by 19.1%.

For the full fiscal 2025, ending in December, analysts expect Xcel to deliver an EPS of $3.81, up 8.9% year-over-year. However, the company has a mixed earnings surprise history. While it has surpassed the Street’s bottom-line estimates once over the past four quarters, it has missed the projections on three other occasions.

The stock has a consensus “Strong Buy” rating overall. Of the 14 analysts covering the stock, opinions include 10 “Strong Buys” and four “Holds.”

This configuration is slightly less optimistic than three months ago, when 12 analysts gave “Strong Buy” recommendations.

On Aug. 1, Mizuho analyst Anthony Crowdell reiterated an “Outperform” rating on XEL and raised the price target from $74 to $78.

Xcel’s mean price target of $78.08 represents a modest 6.6% premium. Meanwhile, the street-high target of $83 suggests a 13.3% upside potential.