NIGas & electric utilities
NiSource
Not investment advice. Kevin may own this stock. How we value stocks
By Kevin Amado
Updated
- Price
- $45.55
- Analysts view
- Bullish
- Discount category
- Close to intrinsic value
- Pick status
- Research only
- Next earnings
- Earnings Jan 28 · · estimated
- Market cap
- $22B
- Shares of Oct 21, 2026
- Yield at current rate
- 2.6%
- Current annual rate, at the price of Nov 12, 2026
- Dividend yield
- 2.6%
- Last 12 months, at the price of Nov 12, 2026
- P/E (trailing)
- 23.4
- Price of Nov 12, 2026
- EPS (trailing)
- $1.95
- 12 months to Sep 30, 2026
- 52-week range
- $38.42 – $49.21
- To Nov 12, 2026
- Beta
- 0.54
- Vs S&P 500, 5 years monthly, to Oct 30, 2026
- Average volume
- 5.6M
- 3 months, to Nov 12, 2026
Check the numbers:ExchangeGoogle FinanceYahoo FinanceSEC filings
In short
- Thesis
- The market prices NiSource for the cost of its large investment plan and the risk of its data center contracts, and results in line with guidance over the next two to four quarters can close the gap.
- Gap
- Can close. The 2026 results in early 2027 show whether NiSource meets its guidance and its new 2027 guidance while it funds the data center plan.
Company guidance: Non-GAAP adjusted EPS of $2.22-$2.30 for 2027 (, Q3 2026 earnings release (8-K))
Price history
About
NiSource is a fully regulated utility holding company. It serves about 3.3 million natural gas customers and 500,000 electric customers in six states under the Columbia Gas and NIPSCO brands. Columbia Gas distributes gas in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kentucky and Maryland. NIPSCO serves gas and electric customers in northern Indiana.
NiSource earns returns on the money it invests in pipes, wires and power plants, as state regulators allow. Through NIPSCO Generation (GenCo), a new unit in which Blackstone Infrastructure holds a minority interest, NiSource builds power plants to serve large data center customers. NIPSCO has special contracts with Amazon Data Services and Alphabet to supply power to their data centers, and in October 2026 it signed a contract with Microsoft that still needs regulatory approval.
Thesis
The market prices NiSource for the cost of a large new investment program and the risk of its data center strategy. In October 2026, NiSource extended its capital plan to $40.0 billion for 2027 to 2033, which includes $8.0 billion for data centers. Net interest expense rose to $601 million in the first nine months of 2026 from $452 million a year earlier, and debt rose to $18.3 billion at September 30, 2026. After a change to its construction plans, GenCo now expects the gas plant for Amazon to start operation in 2030.
For the gap to close, three things must be true. NiSource must reach the upper half of its 2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $2.02 to $2.07 and its new 2027 guidance of $2.22 to $2.30, on the way to its target of 10% to 11% yearly growth from 2027 to 2033. GenCo must build the plants for Amazon, Alphabet and Microsoft on time and on budget, regulators must approve the Microsoft contract, and the contracts must protect existing customers from the costs, as the company says they do. NiSource must keep its investment grade credit ratings while it funds the plan.
The 2026 results in early 2027 show whether the company met its guidance. If these checks pass, the gap can close over the next two to four quarters. The main reason it may not close is higher interest rates, which raise the cost of the investment plan and make utility shares less attractive.
Checkpoints
- Oct 28, 2026PassedQ3 2026 earnings: guidance and data center planA reaffirmed 2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $2.02 to $2.07 and progress on GenCo projects pass; lower guidance or a delay in the data center projects fails.Outcome: NiSource narrowed its 2026 guidance to the upper half of the range, gave 2027 guidance of $2.22 to $2.30 and signed a new data center contract with Microsoft, although the gas plant for Amazon now starts operation in 2030.
- Jan 28, 2027 · est.Pending2026 results: EPS guidance met2026 adjusted EPS in the upper half of $2.02 to $2.07 and a reaffirmed 2027 guidance of $2.22 to $2.30 pass; EPS below the range or lower 2027 guidance fails.
Recent events
- November 9, 2026NiSource sold $600 million of 5.400% notes due 2032. The sale closed on November 9, 2026. NiSource will use the money for capital spending, working capital and to repay debt.
- October 28, 2026NiSource reported Q3 2026 results. Adjusted EPS was $0.27, up from $0.19, and GAAP EPS was $0.27. It narrowed its 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to the upper half of $2.02 to $2.07 and gave 2027 guidance of $2.22 to $2.30. It extended its capital plan to $40.0 billion for 2027 to 2033 and raised its yearly adjusted EPS growth target to 10% to 11% for 2027 to 2033. NIPSCO signed a 20-year contract to supply Microsoft's data center, with capacity that rises to 788 MW in 2031. The contract needs approval from the Indiana regulator. NiSource says its data center contracts now bring about $1.75 billion of savings for existing customers.
- October 15, 2026NIPSCO Generation signed a tolling agreement with an AGP Group company for a 600 MW / 2,400 MWh battery storage project connected to the MISO grid. The first phase is expected to start by December 1, 2027. GenCo will pay about $2.2 billion over a term of about 20.5 years. The agreement needs regulatory approval and an engineering contract and an interconnection agreement by January 31, 2027.
Show 4 older eventsHide older events
- August 18, 2026NiSource sold $750 million of 6.250% fixed-to-fixed reset rate junior subordinated notes due 2057.
- August 5, 2026NiSource reported Q2 2026 results. Adjusted EPS was $0.16, down from $0.22, and GAAP EPS was $0.09. It reaffirmed 2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $2.02 to $2.07, the 9% to 10% annual growth target from 2026 to 2033 and the $28.6 billion capital plan for 2026 to 2030. NiSource said that regulators approved NIPSCO's special contracts with Amazon and Alphabet, which bring about $1.4 billion of savings for existing customers.
- May 18, 2026NiSource sold $500 million of 4.750% notes due 2031 and $750 million of 5.300% notes due 2036 to repay existing debt.
- February 11, 2026NiSource reported 2025 results and gave 2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $2.02 to $2.07. It began to report base plan adjusted EPS, which leaves out data center activities, next to consolidated adjusted EPS.
Latest news and filings
- Last earnings
- October 28, 2026 (8-K on sec.gov)
- Next earnings
- Expected about January 28, 2027. The company has not confirmed the date.
- 8-KOther company newsFiled · Read it on sec.gov
- 10-QQuarterly report for the period ended Sep 30, 2026Filed · nix-20260930
- 8-KEarnings releaseFiled · Press release and exhibits
- 8-KNew debt or financial obligationFiled · Read it on sec.gov
- 8-KOther company newsFiled · Read it on sec.gov
- 10-QQuarterly report for the period ended Jun 30, 2026Filed · nix-20260630
- 8-KEarnings releaseFiled · Press release and exhibits
- 8-KOther company newsFiled · Read it on sec.gov
- 8-KShareholder vote resultsFiled · Read it on sec.gov
- 10-QQuarterly report for the period ended Mar 31, 2026Filed · nix-20260331
Risks
- The data center strategy depends on a few large customers. If Amazon or Alphabet ends a contract or reduces its capacity, or if new plants cost more than planned, NiSource can earn less on its GenCo investments.
- Net interest expense rose 33% in the first nine months of 2026. The large capital plan needs new debt and equity. Higher rates increase costs and can make it harder to keep investment grade ratings.
- State regulators set rates and returns in six states. A rate case with a lower return or a delay in cost recovery reduces earnings growth.
- Gas utilities can have pipeline safety incidents, and weather affects gas demand. Weather affects gas demand, and severe weather can damage the systems, as it did in 2026.
Balance sheet
- Cash
- $58M
- Debt
- $18.3B
- Net debt
- $18.2B
- Interest cover
- 2.3×
- times profit pays interest
- Credit line
- $2.5B
- undrawn
Cash against debt
debt covered by cashnet debt $18.2B
When the debt is due
NiSource funds its utilities with senior notes, junior subordinated notes, commercial paper and receivables programs. At September 30, 2026, total debt was $18.26 billion: long-term debt of $16.38 billion, current maturities of $1.10 billion and commercial paper of $780 million. Cash was $58 million. The $2.50 billion revolving credit facility had no borrowings, and net available liquidity was $1.95 billion. The debt to capitalization ratio was 51.3%, below the 70.0% limit of the credit facility. Interest cover is operating income divided by net interest expense for the first nine months of 2026. NiSource also sells shares through an at-the-market program, which had about $1.15 billion of capacity left at September 30, 2026. Blackstone Infrastructure and other minority holders fund part of NIPSCO and GenCo with equity contributions. The new capital plan of $40.0 billion for 2027 to 2033 needs more debt and equity.
Dividends
- Yield at the current rate
- 2.6% (current annual rate, at today’s price)
- Dividend yield
- 2.6% (last 12 months, at today’s price of $45.55)
- Paid per share
- $1.20 in the last 12 months (4 payments)
- Current annual rate
- $1.20 ($0.30 × 4 a year)
- Payout ratio
- 57% of the last fiscal year’s earnings (the year that ended December 31, 2025)
- Latest ex-dividend date
- October 30, 2026, $0.30 per share
Dividends per share by year
| 2016 | $0.64 | |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $0.70 | |
| 2018 | $0.78 | |
| 2019 | $0.80 | |
| 2020 | $0.84 | |
| 2021 | $0.88 | |
| 2022 | $0.94 | |
| 2023 | $1.00 | |
| 2024 | $1.06 | |
| 2025 | $1.12 |
From 2020 to 2025, the dividend grew by about 5.9% a year. From 2015 to 2025, the dividend grew by about 8.1% a year.
Source: company filings and market data, read on November 13, 2026. The ex-dividend date is the first day a buyer no longer gets the next payment.
Questions about NiSource
What does NiSource do?
NiSource is a fully regulated utility holding company. It serves about 3.3 million natural gas customers and 500,000 electric customers in six states under the Columbia Gas and NIPSCO brands. Its market cap is $22B at the current price of $45.55.
When does NiSource report earnings next?
This is an estimate: NiSource may report on January 28, 2027. It last reported results on October 28, 2026.
Is NiSource stock below its intrinsic value?
NiSource stock is close to intrinsic value. This is general information, not advice.
What changed recently at NiSource?
The latest update is from November 9, 2026. NiSource sold $600 million of 5.400% notes due 2032.
What are the main risks for NiSource?
The data center strategy depends on a few large customers. Net interest expense rose 33% in the first nine months of 2026. State regulators set rates and returns in six states.
How much debt and cash does NiSource have?
At September 30, 2026, NiSource had $18.3B of debt and $58M of cash.
Does NiSource pay a dividend?
Yes. The current annual dividend of NiSource is $1.20 per share. That is a dividend yield of 2.6% at the current price of $45.55. The latest ex-dividend date was October 30, 2026.
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