Not a good buy right now: near-term risk/reward is skewed negative due to heavy bearish options flow and an active legal overhang (bribery trial), despite supportive long-term regulated-utility fundamentals.
Price is sitting just above first support (~46.30); with momentum deteriorating (MACD negative/expanding), an impatient entry here has a higher chance of being early rather than optimal.
Analyst targets (49–50) imply upside over time, but the market is currently paying more attention to event risk and positioning (hedge fund selling, put-heavy options).
Trend/momentum is mixed: moving averages are bullish (SMA_5 > SMA_20 > SMA_200), but MACD histogram is negative (-0.0443) and worsening, signaling weakening short-term momentum.
RSI_6 at 34.6 is approaching oversold territory (not a confirmed reversal), consistent with downside pressure continuing.
Key levels: Pivot 47.01 is overhead resistance; near-term supports are S1 46.30 then S2 45.86. Current price (~46.4 regular / 46.93 post) is hovering right above support—break risk is real.
Similar-pattern projection provided: modest next-day/week expectations, but a much larger next-month move is implied; this setup looks more “event-driven” than purely technical.
Options Data
Bearish
Open Interest Put-Call Ratio
Bearish
Option Volume Put-Call Ratio
Sentiment/positioning is bearish in the very near term: put volume dominates massively (put/call volume ratio 52.33; put volume 11,251 vs call volume 215).
Open interest put/call ratio at 1.09 is mildly bearish (more puts than calls outstanding).
Volatility is elevated: 30D IV 23.05 vs historical vol 12.26, and IV percentile 82.47—options are pricing meaningful uncertainty (consistent with legal/earnings catalysts).
Activity spike: today’s options volume is ~322% of the 30-day average, reinforcing that traders are actively hedging/speculating to the downside.
Technical Summary
Sell
5
Buy
7
Positive Catalysts
support long-duration regulated returns.
can reset expectations if execution/guide is clean.
Neutral/Negative Catalysts
is a material sentiment overhang and can pressure valuation multiples until resolved.
Financial Performance
Latest reported quarter: 2025/Q3.
Revenue grew to $4.148B (+11.24% YoY), indicating solid top-line momentum.
Net income rose to $441M (+5.25% YoY) and EPS to $0.76 (+4.11% YoY): profitable growth, but slower than revenue.
Gross margin declined to 53.69% (-4.84% YoY), a mild quality concern (some margin pressure despite higher revenue).
Growth
Profitability
Efficiency
Analyst Ratings and Price Target Trends
Recent Street tone improved: Wolfe Research upgraded FE to Outperform (2026-01-27) with a $50 PT, citing transmission capex/rate-base growth upside.
Other majors remain constructive: Barclays Overweight (PT trimmed to $50 from $51) and Morgan Stanley Overweight (PT raised to $49 from $47 after previously trimming).
A notable neutral note exists: UBS kept Neutral and cut PT to $46 from $49.
Wall Street pros: regulated visibility + potential transmission capex upside + earnings growth toward top end of 6–8% commentary.
Wall Street cons: legal/regulatory overhang and mixed near-term sentiment signals (heavy put activity; hedge fund selling) can cap upside until uncertainty clears.
Wall Street analysts forecast FE stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for FE is 49.25 USD with a low forecast of 46 USD and a high forecast of 54 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
10 Analyst Rating
Wall Street analysts forecast FE stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for FE is 49.25 USD with a low forecast of 46 USD and a high forecast of 54 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
4 Buy
6 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 46.990
Low
46
Averages
49.25
High
54
Current: 46.990
Low
46
Averages
49.25
High
54
Wolfe Research
Peer Perform -> Outperform
upgrade
$50
AI Analysis
2026-01-27
Reason
Wolfe Research
Price Target
$50
AI Analysis
2026-01-27
upgrade
Peer Perform -> Outperform
Reason
Wolfe Research upgraded FirstEnergy to Outperform from Peer Perform with a $50 price target. The firm says incremental Federal Energy Regulatory Commission transmission capex upside pushes FirstEnergy's rate base growth to 10%. The company's earnings growth should tracking toward the top-end of 6%-8%, the analyst tells investors in a research note.
Barclays
Overweight
downgrade
$51 -> $50
2026-01-22
Reason
Barclays
Price Target
$51 -> $50
2026-01-22
downgrade
Overweight
Reason
Barclays lowered the firm's price target on FirstEnergy to $50 from $51 and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares. The firm adjusted targets in the power and utilities group as part of a Q4 preview.
Unlock Full Analyst Thesis, Get the complete breakdown of rating reason for FE