Key Points
- Insider selling: Director James Oneil sold 7,945 shares at $50.60 (~$402,017), cutting his holding by ~80.96% to 1,869 shares, and CFO Jon Taylor also recently sold 26,800 shares (~$1.36M), moves that could weigh on sentiment.
- Dividend increase but stretched payout: FirstEnergy raised its quarterly dividend to $0.465 (annualized $1.86, ~3.6% yield) with an ex-dividend date of May 7, while the payout ratio sits at a high 101.14%, which may raise sustainability concerns.
- Mixed analyst view and valuation: The stock is trading near its 52-week high (around $51), market cap ~$29.6B, and faces mixed analyst ratings with an average target of about $49.71 and individual targets ranging roughly $46–$55.
FirstEnergy Corporation (NYSE:FE - Get Free Report) Director James Oneil sold 7,945 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $50.60, for a total transaction of $402,017.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 1,869 shares of the company's stock, valued at $94,571.40. The trade was a 80.96% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink.
FirstEnergy Price Performance
NYSE FE opened at $51.17 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $29.57 billion, a PE ratio of 29.07, a P/E/G ratio of 2.67 and a beta of 0.61. FirstEnergy Corporation has a 52-week low of $37.58 and a 52-week high of $51.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.83, a quick ratio of 0.46 and a current ratio of 0.57. The firm's 50 day moving average price is $48.21 and its 200-day moving average price is $46.32.
FirstEnergy (NYSE:FE - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, February 17th. The utilities provider reported $0.53 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.52 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $3.80 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.20 billion. FirstEnergy had a return on equity of 10.50% and a net margin of 6.76%.During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.67 earnings per share. FirstEnergy has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.620-2.820 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that FirstEnergy Corporation will post 2.66 EPS for the current fiscal year.
FirstEnergy Increases Dividend
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 7th will be paid a $0.465 dividend. This represents a $1.86 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.6%. This is a boost from FirstEnergy's previous quarterly dividend of $0.45. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, May 7th. FirstEnergy's payout ratio is presently 101.14%.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on shares of FirstEnergy from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 20th. Wolfe Research raised shares of FirstEnergy from a "peer perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $50.00 price target on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on FirstEnergy from $50.00 to $55.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Thursday. Weiss Ratings cut FirstEnergy from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 19th. Finally, UBS Group reduced their target price on FirstEnergy from $49.00 to $46.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, FirstEnergy has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $49.71.
Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on FE
Key Headlines Impacting FirstEnergy
Here are the key news stories impacting FirstEnergy this week:
- Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan raised its price target on FE to $55 (from $50) while keeping a "neutral" rating — the new target implies roughly mid-single-digit upside from recent levels and provides near-term analyst support for the stock. Article Title
- Positive Sentiment: FirstEnergy plans to invest about $950 million in Ohio and Pennsylvania grid upgrades — a sizable capital program that should grow the regulated rate base, improve reliability, and support long‑term earnings/stability for a utility. Investors typically view transmission/distribution upgrades as earnings-accretive over time when recoverable through regulators. Article Title
- Positive Sentiment: Market filings and company notices show FirstEnergy increased its quarterly dividend to $0.465 (annualized $1.86, ~3.6% yield), which supports income-focused investor interest and helps underpin the stock’s defensive appeal. Article Title
- Neutral Sentiment: FirstEnergy issued a storm-preparedness notice as crews stand ready for high winds across its service territory — operationally positive for outage response but routine and unlikely to move fundamentals unless major damage occurs. Article Title
- Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: CFO Jon Taylor sold 26,800 shares (~$1.36M at ~$50.94) and director James F. Oneil sold 7,945 shares (~$402k at $50.60) in recent Form 4 filings. Large insider disposals can pressure sentiment even if they’re for personal liquidity or diversification. CFO Form 4 Director Form 4
Hedge Funds Weigh In On FirstEnergy
A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in FE. State of Wyoming purchased a new stake in FirstEnergy during the 2nd quarter valued at about $25,000. American National Bank & Trust lifted its holdings in shares of FirstEnergy by 380.2% during the third quarter. American National Bank & Trust now owns 581 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 460 shares during the period. Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. purchased a new stake in FirstEnergy in the third quarter valued at approximately $27,000. TruNorth Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in FirstEnergy by 187.5% in the 3rd quarter. TruNorth Capital Management LLC now owns 621 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 405 shares during the period. Finally, Olistico Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in FirstEnergy during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.41% of the company's stock.
About FirstEnergy
(
Get Free Report)
FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) is a U.S.-based electric utility holding company headquartered in Akron, Ohio. The company's primary business is the delivery of electricity through its regulated transmission and distribution utilities, serving residential, commercial and industrial customers across parts of the Midwest and Mid‑Atlantic. FirstEnergy's service territory includes states such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and West Virginia, and it operates primarily within the PJM regional transmission organization.
FirstEnergy's core activities center on owning and operating electric distribution networks and transmission systems, maintaining and upgrading grid infrastructure, managing storm response and restoration, and offering customer programs that include energy efficiency and reliability services.
Further Reading
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