FirstEnergy: A Fairly Valued Utility Waiting On Regulatory Proof

FirstEnergy (FE) is fundamentally stronger, but its valuation lacks a wide margin of safety due to regulatory risks. Q1 results were solid, with core EPS up 7.5% YoY and 2026 guidance reaffirmed, yet FE trades at ~16.5x forward earnings. The $36B five-year capex plan and data center opportunities hinge on regulatory approvals, with heavy $28B debt and potential dilution remaining concerns.