Avista Corporation (NYSE:AVA) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Hold” by Brokerages

Shares of Avista Corporation (NYSE:AVA) have earned a consensus rating of “Hold” from the seven analysts that are covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $39.25.

AVA has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Wells Fargo & Company set a $39.00 target price on Avista in a research report on Tuesday, April 21st. Barclays decreased their price objective on shares of Avista from $40.00 to $37.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Avista from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, April 18th. Mizuho raised their target price on shares of Avista from $41.00 to $42.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 6th. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded Avista from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Thursday, July 23rd.

Avista Price Performance

Shares of AVA opened at $39.22 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $41.27 and a 200 day simple moving average of $40.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.08, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a current ratio of 1.10. Avista has a 52-week low of $35.50 and a 52-week high of $43.50. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.24 billion, a PE ratio of 15.63, a P/E/G ratio of 3.70 and a beta of 0.25.

Avista (NYSE:AVA) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 3rd. The utilities provider reported $0.43 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.23 by $0.20. The business had revenue of $413.00 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $426.93 million. Avista had a net margin of 11.83% and a return on equity of 7.85%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up .5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.17 earnings per share. Avista has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.520-2.720 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Avista will post 2.58 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Avista Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 14th. Investors of record on Tuesday, August 18th will be issued a dividend of $0.4925 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, August 18th. This represents a $1.97 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.0%. Avista’s payout ratio is presently 78.49%.

More Avista News

Here are the key news stories impacting Avista this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Avista reported second-quarter GAAP EPS of $0.43, well above the $0.23 analyst consensus and up from $0.17 a year earlier. Net income rose to $35 million from $14 million, while first-half net income increased to $127 million from $93 million. Avista Q2 2026 Financial Results
• Positive Sentiment: The board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.4925 per share, or approximately $1.97 annualized. The dividend is payable September 14 to shareholders of record August 18, supporting AVA’s income-investment appeal. Avista Declares Common Stock Dividend
• Neutral Sentiment: Avista reaffirmed its 2026 non-GAAP utility earnings guidance of $2.52-$2.72 per diluted share, broadly maintaining its outlook. However, the midpoint of $2.62 is only modestly above the $2.60 consensus estimate, limiting the positive surprise.
• Neutral Sentiment: The quarterly earnings beat was helped by gains at non-regulated investment businesses, including recovery from 2025 investment losses. Core non-GAAP utility EPS was unchanged at $0.29 year over year, suggesting underlying utility growth was limited. Avista Q2 Results Summary
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue of $413 million fell short of the $426.9 million consensus estimate. Year-to-date electric and natural-gas revenue also declined, partly due to the departure of a large industrial customer and lower wholesale revenue.
• Negative Sentiment: Wildfires in the Spokane area reportedly caused extensive damage to Avista’s power grid and service disruptions. Potential repair costs, liability claims, regulatory scrutiny and prolonged outages create an additional overhang for investors. Avista Wildfire Damage and Service Disruptions
• Negative Sentiment: Avista disclosed continuing regulatory and other risks from its 2025 10-K, while noting it cannot provide GAAP earnings guidance because investment gains and losses are difficult to predict. Management is also evaluating up to $100 million of additional short-term liquidity needs amid regulatory deferrals and delayed cost recovery. Avista Risk Disclosure

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Avista news, SVP Wayne O. Manuel sold 1,593 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $40.98, for a total transaction of $65,281.14. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president owned 10,521 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $431,150.58. This trade represents a 13.15% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.78% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Avista

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. UMB Bank n.a. raised its holdings in Avista by 90.7% in the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 637 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 303 shares during the period. Bayban bought a new stake in shares of Avista during the fourth quarter worth approximately $35,000. Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new stake in shares of Avista during the second quarter worth approximately $37,000. Aquatic Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Avista during the third quarter worth approximately $43,000. Finally, CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC grew its position in shares of Avista by 619.5% in the fourth quarter. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC now owns 1,439 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $55,000 after purchasing an additional 1,239 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.24% of the company’s stock.

Avista Company Profile

Avista Corporation operates as an integrated energy company providing electric and natural gas delivery services to residential, commercial and industrial customers in the Pacific Northwest. Through its regulated utility operations, the company maintains and upgrades an extensive transmission and distribution network, delivering reliable energy to approximately 400,000 electric customers and 324,000 natural gas customers across Washington, Oregon and Idaho. In addition to its core utility business, Avista invests in owned generation assets, including hydroelectric, natural gas–fired, coal and wind facilities, to support system reliability and long-term supply planning.

Founded in 1889 as the Spokane and Inland Empire Water Power Company, the business adopted the Avista name in 1999 to reflect its growing energy portfolio and strategic focus on innovation.