Shares of Alliant Energy Corp (LNT) have seen the needle move -0.58% or -0.26 in the most recent session. The NYSE listed company saw a recent bid of 44.68 on 186671 volume.
Defining specific goals and creating an overall stock trading strategy can be a big help for the individual investor. Some investors are only interested in buy and hold strategies, while others will opt to try and capitalize on short-term market movements. Investors may also decide to do a little bit of both. They may choose a selection of stocks that they plan on holding for a long time, and they may choose others that they plan on holding for only a short period of time. Whichever way the investor decides to go, they should be prepared to complete all the research. Whether they want to study the fundamentals, technicals, or both, finding quality stocks may be at the forefront of the search.
Now let’s take a look at how the fundamentals are stacking up for Alliant Energy Corp (LNT). Fundamental analysis takes into consideration market, industry and stock conditions to help determine if the shares are correctly valued. Alliant Energy Corp currently has a yearly EPS of 1.86. This number is derived from the total net income divided by shares outstanding. In other words, EPS reveals how profitable a company is on a share owner basis.
Turning to Return on Assets or ROA, Alliant Energy Corp (LNT) has a current ROA of 3.22. This is a profitability ratio that measures net income generated from total company assets during a given period. This ratio reveals how quick a company can turn it’s assets into profits. In other words, the ratio provides insight into the profitability of a firm’s assets. The ratio is calculated by dividing total net income by the average total assets. A higher ROA compared to peers in the same industry, would suggest that company management is able to effectively generate profits from their assets. Similar to the other ratios, a lower number might raise red flags about management’s ability when compared to other companies in a similar sector.
Another key indicator that can help investors determine if a stock might be a quality investment is the Return on Equity or ROE. Alliant Energy Corp (LNT) currently has Return on Equity of 10.75. ROE is a ratio that measures profits generated from the investments received from shareholders. In other words, the ratio reveals how effective the firm is at turning shareholder investment into company profits. A company with high ROE typically reflects well on management and how well a company is run at a high level. A firm with a lower ROE might encourage potential investors to dig further to see why profits aren’t being generated from shareholder money.
Individual investors are constantly hearing about the next hot stock to buy. Acting purely on these types of tips can be hazardous to the portfolio if the research is not completed. Sometimes these stock tips will pan out and be correct, other times they can leave the investor wondering why they acted on the speculative advice. Even if a stock tip is correct, the results may have already been manifested and the investor would simply be getting in way too late. Knowing what information is reliable can drastically improve the chances of making smarter stock picks. Even the most praised stocks may not be able to withstand an overall market downturn.
