Southeast Demand And Renewables Will Shape A Vibrant Future

Key Takeaways

• Strategic focus on regulated utilities and renewables provides stable cash flows, predictable margins, and strong positioning during the energy transition.
  
• Regulatory support and grid modernization investments underpin visibility into long-term earnings and revenue growth potential.
  
• Rising project costs, regulatory uncertainties, capital demands, fossil fuel dependency, and operational risks threaten long-term profitability and growth prospects.

Catalysts

Provides regulated electricity and natural gas services in the United States.

• Robust demand growth is expected in Dominion's core service regions, driven by data center expansion, record-setting electricity peaks, and continued economic and population growth in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic-trends that should drive higher top-line revenue over time.
  
• Large-scale investments in regulated renewables, especially the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project, position Dominion to benefit from the accelerating energy transition, earning stable regulated returns and expanding rate base, with a positive impact on long-term earnings.
  
• Continued constructive regulatory outcomes-such as consistent allowed return on equity, favorable cost recovery mechanisms, and supportive legislation in Virginia and South Carolina-support predictable margins and improve Dominion's earnings visibility.
  
• Streamlined strategic focus on core regulated utilities (post-divestiture of non-core assets) is expected to lead to more stable and predictable cash flows, with lower business risk and potential for improved net margins.
  
• Significant grid modernization and infrastructure upgrade investments offer opportunities for regulated returns, matching national trends in electrification and reliability, and are likely to steadily increase Dominion's revenue and long-term EPS.

Dominion Energy Future Earnings and Revenue Growth

Assumptions

• Analysts are assuming Dominion Energy's revenue will grow by 5.8% annually over the next 3 years.
• Analysts assume that profit margins will increase from 16.7% today to 19.5% in 3 years time.
• Analysts expect earnings to reach $3.5 billion (and earnings per share of $3.94) by about August 2028, up from $2.5 billion today.
• In order for the above numbers to justify the analysts price target, the company would need to trade at a PE ratio of 18.7x on those 2028 earnings, down from 20.5x today. This future PE is lower than the current PE for the US Integrated Utilities industry at 20.5x.
• Analysts expect the number of shares outstanding to grow by 1.73% per year for the next 3 years.
• To value all of this in today's terms, we will use a discount rate of 6.78%, as per the Simply Wall St company report.

Dominion Energy Future Earnings Per Share Growth

Risks

• Completion of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project remains exposed to potential cost overruns and supply chain/tariff uncertainties-including an updated budget that has already increased this quarter and possible future rises from EU and Mexico tariffs-posing long-term risks to net margins if project costs escalate without full regulatory recovery.
  
• The company's large and ongoing capital spending requirements necessitate continuous equity issuance and prudent debt management, which could become increasingly challenging if interest rates remain high or the cost of capital rises, pressuring both earnings per share and overall return on equity over the long term.
  
• Pending regulatory decisions-especially delays in final transmission upgrade cost allocations by PJM and the possibility of less favorable allowed returns on equity or disallowed costs in rate reviews-could compress revenue and undermine long-term earnings visibility.
  
• Legacy reliance on fossil fuel generation remains, evidenced by Dominion seeking approval for a new natural gas-fired facility, leaving the company susceptible to evolving environmental regulations and carbon reduction mandates that may impair asset value and limit future revenue growth.
  
• Intensifying climate-driven extreme weather and operational incidents (such as workplace accidents) pose risks to infrastructure reliability and worker safety, potentially increasing operating and maintenance expenses and eroding profitability over time.

Valuation

• The analysts have a consensus price target of $60.071 for Dominion Energy based on their expectations of its future earnings growth, profit margins and other risk factors. However, there is a degree of disagreement amongst analysts, with the most bullish reporting a price target of $64.0, and the most bearish reporting a price target of just $52.0.
  
• In order for you to agree with the analyst's consensus, you'd need to believe that by 2028, revenues will be $18.0 billion, earnings will come to $3.5 billion, and it would be trading on a PE ratio of 18.7x, assuming you use a discount rate of 6.8%.
  
• Given the current share price of $61.08, the analyst price target of $60.07 is 1.7% lower. The relatively low difference between the current share price and the analyst consensus price target indicates that they believe on average, the company is fairly priced.
  
• We always encourage you to reach your own conclusions though. So sense check these analyst numbers against your own assumptions and expectations based on your understanding of the business and what you believe is probable.