The Midwest's Clean Energy Utility
Evergy emerged from the 2018 merger of Great Plains Energy and Westar Energy, creating the largest electric utility in Kansas while also serving the Missouri side of the Kansas City metropolitan area. CEO David Campbell, who took the helm in 2021 after a career at Luminant and Vistra, has accelerated the clean energy transition while maintaining the financial discipline that utility investors demand. The company operates approximately 12,000 MW of generation capacity, with Wolf Creek Nuclear Generating Station providing roughly 47% of carbon-free electricity and wind farms contributing another 25%+ as Evergy builds toward 70% emissions reduction by 2030.
The service territory presents unique opportunities and challenges. Kansas offers abundant wind resources—consistently ranking among America's top wind energy states—enabling Evergy to add renewable capacity at costs competitive with or below gas generation. Missouri's larger population centers drive load growth from residential, commercial, and industrial customers. Both states have passed legislation supporting utility renewable investments, with Kansas eliminating property taxes on utility-scale wind and Missouri enabling securitization financing for coal plant retirements. CEO David Campbell's strategy leverages these advantages to grow rate base while reducing fuel costs and environmental exposure.
Business Model & Competitive Position
Evergy operates as a vertically integrated regulated utility, owning generation, transmission, and distribution assets across its service territory. This model provides earnings visibility through allowed returns on rate base, typically 9.5-10% ROE in Kansas and Missouri. Revenue stability comes from the essential nature of electric service—customers must pay their bills regardless of economic conditions. The company earns approximately 55% of revenues from Kansas operations (through Evergy Kansas Central and Evergy Kansas South) and 45% from Missouri (Evergy Metro and Evergy Missouri West).
Competitive advantages stem from regulatory relationships, generation efficiency, and scale. Evergy maintains constructive relationships with the Kansas Corporation Commission and Missouri Public Service Commission, achieving timely rate case outcomes and approval for rider mechanisms that reduce regulatory lag. Wolf Creek nuclear provides the lowest marginal cost generation in the fleet, operating at 90%+ capacity factors while producing zero carbon emissions. The combined company achieved $200M+ in merger synergies through operational efficiencies, procurement savings, and technology standardization.
Financial Performance
- •Revenue: $5.8B annually with 2-3% growth from rate base expansion and modest load growth
- •Earnings: $3.60-3.80 EPS with 4-6% annual growth target through 2028 capital plan execution
- •Rate Base: $17B+ growing to $22B+ by 2028 through $11B infrastructure investment program
- •Dividend: $2.55/share annually (4.5% yield) with 60-70% payout ratio and 5-7% growth guidance
- •Balance Sheet: 15-16% FFO/debt ratio maintaining investment-grade credit ratings (Baa2/BBB)
- •Valuation: 15x forward P/E and 10x EV/EBITDA, in-line with regulated utility peers
Growth Catalysts
- •Data Center Demand: Kansas City emerging as Midwest data center hub driving 500+ MW of new load growth potential
- •Renewable Expansion: 3,000+ MW of solar and wind additions planned through 2028 at attractive regulated returns
- •Grid Modernization: $2B+ transmission investment for reliability and renewable integration creating rate base growth
- •Manufacturing Reshoring: Agricultural processing, battery manufacturing, and logistics facilities expanding in service territory
- •Coal Retirement Savings: Remaining coal fleet retirements reduce fuel costs and enable replacement with lower-cost renewables
Risks & Challenges
- •Regulatory Execution: Achieving constructive rate case outcomes essential; adverse decisions could compress earned returns
- •Wolf Creek Concentration: Single nuclear plant provides 47% of generation; extended outages significantly impact costs
- •Weather Variability: Extreme heat/cold drives earnings volatility; 2021 Winter Storm Uri demonstrated weather exposure
- •Interest Rate Sensitivity: Capital-intensive business model vulnerable to higher financing costs on $9B+ debt
- •Load Growth Uncertainty: Population growth modest in Kansas; large customer additions lumpy and unpredictable
Competitive Landscape
Regional utility peers include Xcel Energy (Upper Midwest and Texas), Ameren (Missouri and Illinois), and OGE Energy (Oklahoma). Evergy differentiates through its wind resource advantage—Kansas consistently ranks top-5 nationally in wind potential—and Wolf Creek nuclear's zero-carbon baseload. Among peers, Evergy offers competitive dividend yield (4.5% vs. 3-4% for Xcel and Ameren) while maintaining similar EPS growth guidance (4-6%). However, Evergy's smaller service territory and slower population growth limit the load growth upside available to faster-growing Sunbelt utilities.
CEO David Campbell has positioned Evergy as an ESG leader among Midwest utilities through aggressive decarbonization targets and transparent sustainability reporting. The company's inclusion in major sustainability indices and favorable ratings from ISS and MSCI support access to ESG-focused capital. However, Evergy competes for investor attention with larger peers like NextEra and Duke that offer more liquidity and analyst coverage.
Who Is This Stock Suitable For?
Perfect For
- ✓Income-focused investors seeking 4.5%+ dividend yield with growth
- ✓Conservative portfolios wanting regulated utility stability
- ✓ESG investors attracted to 70% carbon reduction commitment
- ✓Retirees building defensive income streams with inflation protection
Less Suitable For
- ✗Growth investors seeking double-digit earnings expansion
- ✗Momentum traders looking for price volatility and breakouts
- ✗Investors uncomfortable with interest rate sensitivity
- ✗Those seeking immediate catalysts or M&A speculation
Investment Thesis
Evergy offers classic regulated utility characteristics—predictable earnings, growing dividends, and defensive positioning—enhanced by clean energy transition tailwinds. CEO David Campbell's $11B capital plan drives 4-6% EPS growth through rate base expansion while the 4.5% dividend yield provides current income exceeding Treasury yields. Wolf Creek nuclear ensures baseload stability while Midwest wind resources enable renewable expansion at competitive costs. The combination creates a compelling total return profile for income-oriented investors.
The primary investment debate centers on growth versus yield trade-offs. Evergy's higher dividend yield (4.5% vs. 3-3.5% for premium utilities) reflects the slower service territory growth in Kansas and Missouri compared to Sunbelt markets. However, data center expansion in Kansas City and manufacturing reshoring could accelerate load growth beyond modest historical trends. For investors prioritizing income with inflation-protected growth, Evergy merits consideration as a core utility holding. The stock trades at fair value around 15x earnings, suggesting patient investors can accumulate shares and collect dividends while awaiting catalysts.