FirstEnergy (NYSE:FE) Hits New 12-Month High After Dividend Announcement

FirstEnergy Corporation (NYSE:FE) shares reached a new 52-week high on Thursday after the company announced a dividend. The stock traded as high as $48.73 and last traded at $48.4710, with a volume of 706433 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $47.93.

The newly announced dividend which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Stockholders of record on Thursday, May 7th will be paid a $0.465 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, May 7th. This represents a $1.86 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.8%. This is a boost from FirstEnergy’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.45. FirstEnergy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 77.73%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Wolfe Research raised FirstEnergy from a “peer perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $50.00 target price for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of FirstEnergy from $51.00 to $50.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on shares of FirstEnergy from $45.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 21st. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on shares of FirstEnergy from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. Finally, Scotiabank raised their target price on shares of FirstEnergy from $49.00 to $51.00 and gave the stock a “sector outperform” rating in a report on Friday, October 24th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $48.85.

FirstEnergy Stock Up 2.0%

The firm has a 50-day moving average of $45.77 and a two-hundred day moving average of $45.26. The stock has a market capitalization of $28.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.73 and a beta of 0.64. The company has a quick ratio of 0.64, a current ratio of 0.75 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.80.

FirstEnergy News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting FirstEnergy this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Board-approved dividend increase — FirstEnergy’s board raised the quarterly dividend to $0.465 (annualized $1.86), a 4.5% raise versus 2025, implying a ~3.8% yield and signaling management confidence in cash flow. This dividend bump is a direct support to income-focused investors. FirstEnergy Corp. Declares Increased Common Stock Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: Operational reliability improvement — JCP&L (a FirstEnergy utility) reached the midpoint of a $95M reliability upgrade program in New Jersey and reports fewer outages for thousands of customers, which reduces operational risk and outage-related costs and supports regulatory and customer relations. JCP&L Customers Experiencing Fewer Outages
• Neutral Sentiment: Routine board change — FirstEnergy reported the departure of director Melvin Williams; the company describes this as a routine governance update, unlikely to materially change strategy or near‑term performance. FirstEnergy announces routine board change as director departs
• Neutral Sentiment: Q4 and analyst coverage — Recent pieces (Zacks, Yahoo Finance) dig into Q4 estimates and analyst ratings; these previews could drive stock moves when full results or guidance are reassessed, but they don’t present new company-specific surprises yet. Unlocking Q4 Potential of FirstEnergy (FE) FirstEnergy Stock: Analyst Estimates & Ratings
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation comparison — A Zacks comparison of FE vs. AEP highlights relative valuation metrics and could influence value‑oriented flows; it’s informational and may prompt re‑rating if investors prefer one utility over another. FE vs. AEP: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?
• Neutral Sentiment: Customer safety advisory — FirstEnergy issued a seasonal safety reminder about metallic (foil) balloons causing outages; this is operationally prudent communications but not market-moving on its own. Love Is in the Air, But Foil Balloons Don’t Belong There

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in FE. American National Bank & Trust boosted its stake in shares of FirstEnergy by 380.2% during the 3rd quarter. American National Bank & Trust now owns 581 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 460 shares during the period. Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of FirstEnergy during the third quarter worth $27,000. TruNorth Capital Management LLC boosted its position in FirstEnergy by 187.5% during the third quarter. TruNorth Capital Management LLC now owns 621 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 405 shares during the last quarter. State of Wyoming purchased a new position in FirstEnergy in the second quarter valued at about $25,000. Finally, Olistico Wealth LLC purchased a new position in FirstEnergy in the fourth quarter valued at about $31,000. 89.41% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About FirstEnergy

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.