Pinnacle West: An AI Load Growth Beneficiary, But Fairly Priced (Rating Upgrade)

Pinnacle West (PNW) is upgraded from sell to hold as shares approach fair value after a strong technical breakout and solid Q1 results. PNW delivered Q1 GAAP EPS of $0.27 and revenue of $1.15B, beating expectations, with robust 9.4% retail sales growth driven by 14.6% C&I demand. Management reaffirmed FY 2026 EPS guidance of $4.55–$4.75 and targets 5–7% long-term EPS growth, supported by $10.4B capex through 2028.