Xcel Energy price target raised to $86 from $80 at Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley raised the firm’s price target on Xcel Energy (XEL) to $86 from $80 and keeps an Equal Weight rating on the shares. The firm is updating its price targets for Regulated & Diversified Utilities / IPPs in North America under its coverage, the analyst tells investors. In September, utilities outperformed the S&P, the firm notes. Heading into Q3, the firm expects a key focus for utilities to be on the evolution of data center pipelines and is watching for commentary around interconnection times.