Ameren upgraded to Overweight from Sector Weight at KeyBanc

KeyBanc analyst Sophie Karp upgraded Ameren to Overweight from Sector Weight with a $103 price target Following a volatile Q1, the reporting season “proved fairly uneventful” for the utilities. The firm says that as large-load customer demand trends appear intact, and the risk for tariffs and Inflation Reduction Act is “book-ended,” it envisions the return of greater risk appetite in the space. As a result, KeyBanc made a number of rating changes to reflect its views. It downgraded Exelon (EXC), Consolidated Edison (ED), and Southern Co. (SO) to Underweight on valuation, downgraded Portland General Electric (POR) to Sector Weight due to jurisdictional headwinds, and upgraded Entergy (ETR) and Ameren (AEE) to Overweight citing their attractive growth stories in the space.