February 16, 2026
Energy

Can data center deal power 2026? By Investing.com


is set to report fourth-quarter results before the market opens Tuesday, closing out a year of heavy infrastructure investment as the Detroit-based utility positions itself to capitalize on surging power demand from data centers and Michigan’s energy transformation.

Analysts expect earnings of $1.53 per share on revenue of $3.33 billion for the quarter ended December 2025. That would represent a 1.32% increase in earnings per share year-over-year, though revenue is projected to decline 2.92% compared with the same period last year. Sequentially, the earnings forecast reflects a sharp step down from the $2.25 per share DTE posted in the summer-heavy third quarter, though revenue is expected to climb 11% as winter heating demand materializes.

EPS estimates have declined 1.29% over the past 60 days, though they’ve held steady in the past week. Revenue estimates have risen 1.7% over the past two months, suggesting analysts see some upside to top-line performance as the utility’s capital investments begin to flow through results.

Wall Street maintains a constructive view on the $30.1 billion utility. Analysts rate the stock a Buy, with nine of 17 analysts recommending purchase and the remaining eight at Hold. The consensus price target of $147.35 implies roughly 4.6% upside from the stock’s current level near $140.91, just below its 52-week high of $145.42. Recent activity includes Morgan Stanley and Mizuho raising their price targets to $143 and $144, respectively, in late January and early February.

What Investors Are Watching

First, execution on the 1.4 GW data center agreement that management says will create “substantial affordability benefits for existing customers”. With utilities sector-wide scrambling to serve power-hungry AI infrastructure, DTE’s ability to translate this deal into predictable cash flows and rate recovery will be critical.

Second, the company’s 2026 operating earnings guidance of $7.59 to $7.73 per share, provided during the third quarter. Investors will scrutinize whether management reaffirms that range or adjusts expectations based on regulatory developments and investment timing.

Third, the balance between growth spending and customer rates. DTE invested nearly $3 billion through the first three quarters of 2025 and targeted a total of $4.4 billion for the year. The question is whether those investments can drive earnings growth without triggering affordability pushback from regulators or customers.

In the prior quarter, DTE beat expectations with $2.25 per share versus the $2.18 forecast but missed on revenue, delivering $2.99 billion against a $3.27 billion estimate. The earnings surprise of 3.2% marked the company’s continued ability to manage costs even as infrastructure spending accelerates.

Tuesday’s results will offer insight into whether DTE can navigate the utility sector’s defining challenge in 2026: meeting unprecedented load growth while managing grid infrastructure and regulatory pressures. With the stock trading near all-time highs, expectations are elevated heading into the print.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.





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