Dominion Energy Bets Big on Solar & Storage in 2025 – Even as Critics Cry “Scam”
22 October 2025
6 mins read

Dominion Energy Stock Surges on Clean-Energy Push – What’s Next?

  • Price: Around $61 as of Oct 22, 2025 (about +0.6% intraday)1 .
  • Recent Performance: Shares are up roughly 5–6% over the past monthts2.tech, outpacing the broader utilities sector and the S&P 500.
  • Dividend: Quarterly dividend $0.6675 (≈4.4% yield)2 .
  • Q2 Results: Q2 2025 operating EPS was $0.75 (meeting estimates) on revenue $3.81B (≈+9% YoY)marketbeat.com. Guidance for full-year 2025 remains $3.28–$3.52 EPS3 .
  • Outlook: Analysts expect Q3 EPS in the mid-$0.90s (reporting on Oct 31)nasdaq.com. Consensus 2025 EPS is ~$3.4, with 2026 projected ~$3.66nasdaq.comstockanalysis.com. Morgan Stanley recently raised its 12-month price target from $63 to $66marketbeat.com (implying ~7% upside), though the overall consensus target is about $624 .
  • Renewables Push: On Oct 9, Dominion’s VA/NC utilities launched a major RFP for new solar, onshore wind and battery-storage projectsutilitydive.com. Dominion says this “all of the above” strategy is needed to meet ~5% annual load growth: “Our customers are using about 5% more power each year, and we’re serving that growth with a balanced mix of renewables, nuclear and natural gas,” spokesman Aaron Ruby saidutilitydive.com. The goal is to bring 21.1 GW of new clean capacity by 2039 (including 12 GW solar, 4.5 GW storage)5 .
  • Analyst Consensus: 17 analysts rate Dominion a Hold on averagestockanalysis.com. Ratings range from 1 Buy to 8 Holds and 1 Sellmarketbeat.comstockanalysis.com, reflecting mixed views on its high payout and capital spending.

Stock Performance and Recent Trading

Dominion Energy’s stock has stabilized in the low $60s after a choppy October. On Oct 22, shares traded near $61.5 intradaymarketbeat.com, above the 50-day moving average (~$60.43)marketbeat.com. Earlier in the week, the stock briefly dipped to around $60.5 before rebounding; for example, the Oct 21 close was $60.87ts2.tech. Over the past month, Dominion’s roughly +5% gain has outperformed many peers and the broad marketts2.tech. Investors have noted that Dominion’s total return (price plus dividends) is in line with the utilities sector’s defensive performance this year. The market capitalization is about $52–$53 billion (forward P/E ~18)investing.com6 .

Recent Developments and News

This week’s notable news centered on regulatory filings and analysis. On Oct 22, Virginia Mercury reported that Dominion filed a new 20-year resource plan with Virginia regulators, laying out how it will meet surging demand and comply with the state’s Clean Economy Act (VCEA)virginiamercury.com. Dominion projects ~5% annual growth in Virginia electricity usage (doubling by 2045) and plans to add roughly 33 GW of capacity by 2045. Its long-range plan is heavy on renewables: about 53% of new capacity is solar (and solar+storage), 10% onshore wind, 25% natural gas, 6% battery storage and 6% small modular nuclearvirginiamercury.com. However, environmental critics note this still relies on gas plants – Dominion counters that “solar and battery storage cannot single-handedly serve all of our customers” and that a balanced mix is needed7 .

Other recent corporate updates included regulator-driven and market actions. On Oct 22, Morgan Stanley upgraded Dominion’s 12-month price target from $63 to $66marketbeat.com (equal-weight rating) based on the company’s clean-energy investments. MarketBeat noted Dominion’s stock was up ~1.1% mid-day that day, hitting $61.53marketbeat.com. Earlier on Oct 22, MarketBeat also reported that a small institutional holder (Members Trust) trimmed its stake, but meanwhile CEO Bob Blue disclosed buying 4,152 shares at about $60.35 each in late Augustmarketbeat.com – a sign of insider confidence.

Earnings Results and Outlook

Dominion’s last earnings report (Q2, issued Aug 1) delivered $0.75 operating EPS on $3.81B revenuemarketbeat.com, roughly in line with guidance. The 9% revenue jump was driven by rising customer demand and new rate cases, offset by a drop in its Contracted Energy division (e.g. nuclear outages)ainvest.commarketbeat.com. For all of 2025, Dominion has reaffirmed guidance at $3.28–$3.52 EPSainvest.com. Analysts expect Q3 (reporting Oct 31) to come in around $0.94 per share (roughly flat year-on-year) on ~$4.19B revenuenasdaq.com. Consensus full-year 2025 EPS is ~$3.39–3.47nasdaq.comstockanalysis.com, with 2026 modestly higher (~$3.66) as the company executes its capital plans.

Dominion’s balance sheet carries roughly $46–$47 billion net debt. That debt supports a multi-year investment plan (2025–29 capex ~$50.1B) focused on renewables, grid upgrades, offshore wind and hydrogenainvest.comainvest.com. These investments are expected to drive mid-single-digit EPS growth (management’s target ~5–7% long-term), but they also mean high leverage (net debt/EBITDA ~5.8–6.0×) and a very high payout ratio (~107–157% of reported earnings)ainvest.comainvest.com. Dominion’s dividend (currently $0.6675 per quarter) remains well covered by regulatory cost-recovery mechanisms, but analysts warn that continued reliance on external financing could test sustainability if interest rates stay high.

Analyst Commentary and Forecasts

Wall Street analysts are mixed on Dominion’s outlook. The average rating is Hold, with price targets clustering near $62stockanalysis.com. For example, Evercore initiated at “in-line” with a $67 target on Oct 7, while JPMorgan remains cautious at $59marketbeat.comstockanalysis.com. Morgan Stanley’s recent upgrade to $66 reflects confidence that Dominion will capitalize on the U.S. clean-energy buildoutmarketbeat.com. By contrast, some analysts point to risks: Moody’s and Fitch had flagged the high leverage and large capital needs of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project (cost now ~$10.9B) as pressure pointsainvest.comreuters.com. In fact, Dominion’s CVOW has been specifically impacted by federal policy shifts – last year the Biden administration briefly halted work, and this month the Trump administration moved to rescind the Maryland permit for that wind farminvesting.comreuters.com. As one industry observer notes, “It’s realistic to…see that this [offshore wind] industry is going to be deeply challenged by the current administration,” reflecting regulatory uncertainty8 .

From a valuation standpoint, Dominion trades around 18–21× forward earnings (depending on whose estimate)reuters.commarketbeat.com, near historic norms for utilities. Analysts generally expect only modest upside, roughly in line with dividend yield. The high average payout (over 100%) and heavy spending program temper bullish price targets. However, some experts highlight defensive strengths: Dominion’s regulated utility segments provide predictable cash flow, and growth opportunities in Virginia’s booming data-center market (driven by AI) give it an edgeainvest.com9 .

Energy Transition and Regulatory Context

Dominion is at the forefront of the clean-energy transition in its region. Virginia law requires 100% carbon-free electricity by 2045 (via the VCEA), and North Carolina has a similar mandate by 2050. To meet these targets, Dominion is rapidly expanding renewables. In its IRP and RFP filings, Dominion emphasizes solar and storage: “we’re all in on solar and battery storage,” Dominion’s Aaron Ruby told regulators, but noted that “we need more power generation from every source” to ensure reliabilityvirginiamercury.comutilitydive.com. Indeed, Dominion’s new RFP specifically seeks large-scale and distributed solar, onshore wind, and battery projects in both Virginia and North Carolinautilitydive.com. This reflects a broader trend: utilities across the region are racing to add clean capacity, buoyed by policy support and rising customer demand (e.g. data centers are boosting Virginia load by roughly 1,000 MW/year9 ).

Regulatory changes at the federal level add uncertainty. President Trump’s recent moves to cancel offshore-wind grants and permits (like the one for Dominion’s CVOW) have unsettled the industryinvesting.comreuters.com. Nonetheless, Dominion remains committed to its offshore-wind project and other large-scale renewables, arguing they will pay off once completed. The utility also faces state-level regulatory battles: in North Carolina, new legislation curtails customer rate shock, while in Virginia, regulators are scrutinizing Dominion’s long-term plans. Analysts will be watching how Dominion navigates these political headwinds when it reports Q3 results.

Outlook – What Investors Are Watching

Looking ahead, investors will focus on Dominion’s Q3 earnings (Oct 31) for any signs of cost pressures or capital delays. Management’s outlook beyond 2025 will be key – particularly whether cost overruns (e.g. higher CVOW costs) or further regulatory changes might alter guidance. Analysts expect Dominion to keep its dividend stable, but any hint of a cut (currently unlikely) would spook the market.

On the positive side, Dominion’s strategic investments position it to benefit from the $1.2 trillion U.S. clean-energy marketainvest.com and the AI-related energy demand surge in Northern Virginiaainvest.comainvest.com. The company’s 500 kV transmission line for data centers (financed by a rate increase) is on track to come online by year-end, potentially unlocking new revenue. If Dominion executes its projects on schedule and begins recovering costs through rates or federal tax credits, investors could see steady earnings growth alongside the attractive dividend.

In summary, Dominion Energy’s stock reflects a balance of steady cash flows and high leverage. The recent share gains underscore investor interest in its clean-energy initiatives. But with utilities trading near historic valuations and yield-hungry buyers already in the market, major share-price rallies appear unlikely in the near term without clear evidence of project execution. As one analyst put it, Dominion may be “must-own” for income investors in a high-rate world – but it remains a hold for now, pending more visibility on its ambitious strategyainvest.com4 .

Sources: Recent filings and news releases (Dominion Energy, Q2 2025), analyst reports (MarketBeat, Zacks, Nasdaq), utility industry news (Utility Dive), and Reuters reportingutilitydive.commarketbeat.comvirginiamercury.commarketbeat.comreuters.com provide the information and quotes above. All data is current as of Oct. 22, 2025.

Stock Market Today

Cummins (CMI) stock price rebounds after earnings whipsaw as investors eye data-center power demand

Cummins (CMI) stock price rebounds after earnings whipsaw as investors eye data-center power demand

7 February 2026
Cummins shares jumped 6.8% to $577.73 Friday, recovering from a nearly 9% post-earnings drop the day before. The company reported Q4 revenue up 1% to $8.54 billion, took a $218 million charge tied to its hydrogen business, and guided for 2026 EBITDA of 17–18% of sales. Demand for data center generators offset weakness in North American truck markets. Analyst reaction was mixed; Truist raised its price target.
Corning stock hits first record close since 2000 as jobs, CPI data loom

Corning stock hits first record close since 2000 as jobs, CPI data loom

7 February 2026
Corning shares surged 8.3% to $122.16 Friday, their highest close since the dot-com era, after Meta agreed to buy up to $6 billion in fiber-optic cables. The stock is up 40% since late 2025, fueled by strong first-quarter guidance and AI data-center demand. Insiders sold shares following the rally, SEC filings show. Investors await next week’s U.S. jobs and inflation data for rate signals.
QuantumScape 2025: Latest News, Solid-State Battery Breakthroughs, Financials & Outlook (June 27th, 2025)
Previous Story

QuantumScape (QS) Stock Surges 180% on Solid-State Battery Breakthroughs – What’s Next After a Sudden Plunge?

Trump’s Tariff Tsunami: 100% Drug Tax and New Import Levies Rock Global Trade
Next Story

Trump Seeks a Slice of the Quantum Pie: Stocks Rocket as Govt Eyes IonQ, Rigetti, D-Wave Stakes

Go toTop