Avista Corporation (AVA) AI Stock Analysis

Avista Corporation provides electric and natural gas services through two primary segments: Avista Utilities and AEL&P. Avista Utilities distributes and transmits electricity, distributes natural gas across eastern Washington, northern Idaho, and parts of Oregon, and generates electricity across Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and Montana. The segment also conducts wholesale power and natural gas transactions. AEL&P supplies electricity to approximately 17,600 customers in Juneau, Alaska. Avista's generation mix includes hydroelectric, thermal, and wind facilities. As of February 22, 2023, the utility served 411,000 electric customers and 377,000 natural gas customers. It also engages in venture fund, real estate, and strategic investments.

Between FY2021 and FY2025, Avista grew revenue from $1.44B to $1.96B, achieving a 5-year revenue CAGR of 8.2% from FY2020 to FY2025. Annual net income rose from $147.3M in FY2021 to $193.0M in FY2025, with diluted EPS expanding from $2.09 to $2.38. Operating margin was 18.0% in FY2025, up from 15.8% in FY2024, though gross margin contracted to 24.2% from 58.8%. Over the trailing twelve months ended June 30, 2026, revenue stood at $1.92B with an operating margin of 13.3% and net margin of 11.8%. In the quarter ended June 30, 2026, revenue grew 0.5% year-over-year while quarterly earnings surged 147.9%.

As of June 30, 2026, Avista held $25.0M in cash and short-term investments against $3.29B in total debt, resulting in net debt of $3.27B. Shareholders' equity was $2.82B, yielding a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.17 and a current ratio of 1.10. In FY2025, operating cash flow was $469.0M, which did not fully cover capital expenditures of $570.0M, producing free cash flow of -$101.0M. The company funded liquidity needs partly via $78.0M in share issuance, contributing to a 16.0% increase in share count over 5 years, while paying $159.0M in dividends.

Avista trades at a trailing P/E of 13.2x and a forward P/E of 13.0x, both sitting below the median of its US-listed Utilities peers, which stand at 20.6x and 17.2x, respectively. Its enterprise value of $6.30B implies an EV/EBITDA of 9.7x compared to the peer median of 12.1x, and its price-to-sales ratio is 1.6x versus the peer median of 2.4x. Over the past year, Avista's stock delivered a 0.2% return, lagging the 16.8% return for the S&P 500 (SPY). Over a 5-year period, the stock gained 14.1% compared to 83.0% for SPY.

Avista pays an annual forward dividend of $1.97 per share, representing a 5.37% dividend yield. Dividends are distributed quarterly, supported by 42 consecutive years of dividend payments. Over the past five years, the dividend grew at an annualized rate of 3.9%. In FY2025, the company paid $159.0M in dividends, and its current payout ratio is 78.4%. The last ex-dividend date was August 18, 2026.

Wall Street coverage includes 7 analysts, with ratings broken down into 1 Strong Buy, 5 Holds, and 1 Sell. The mean price target is $41.00, representing an 11.8% premium to the last close of $36.67. For the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, consensus estimates project revenue of $2.00B and EPS of $2.63, reflecting 10.5% EPS growth. The company beat EPS estimates in 3 of the last 4 quarters, and its next earnings report is scheduled for November 4, 2026.

This page is an AI-written research summary of Avista Corporation (AVA). The text was generated on October 30, 2026 from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 (company profile, annual results, latest balance sheet, valuation, price performance and analyst estimates). An automatic check rejects any draft that contains a figure not found in that data. It is not investment advice; verify figures on the linked tabs before making decisions.

Related: AVA income statement, AVA balance sheet, AVA key metrics, AVA analyst forecast, AVA chart. See the AVA stock overview for the latest quote and news.