CenterPoint Energy price target raised to $49 from $44 at Jefferies

Jefferies analyst Julien Dumoulin-Smith raised the firm’s price target on CenterPoint Energy (CNP) to $49 from $44 and keeps a Buy rating on the shares. The company’s diversified capital plan “remains a key differentiator” versus Texas peers, particularly amid uncertainty with ERCOT’s batch process, says the analyst, who views CenterPoint as “a defensive play with high-quality growth.”