Gold Drops More Than 2%; Cidara Therapeutics Stock Soars
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Nov 14 2025
0mins
Source: Benzinga
U.S. Stock Market Performance: U.S. stocks showed mixed results, with the Dow Jones falling 0.44%, while the NASDAQ and S&P 500 rose by 0.59% and 0.27%, respectively. Utilities shares increased slightly, but communication services stocks dropped by 1%.
Notable Company Performances: Spire Inc's shares fell over 2% after reporting larger-than-expected quarterly losses, while Cidara Therapeutics saw a 105% surge in shares following Merck's acquisition announcement.
Commodities Update: Oil prices rose by 1.9% to $59.81, while gold and silver prices fell by 2.2% and 5%, respectively. Copper also saw a decline of 1.1%.
Global Market Trends: European shares declined, with the STOXX 600 down 1.54%, and Asian markets mostly closed lower, highlighted by Japan's Nikkei 225 dropping 1.77%.
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Analyst Views on SR
Wall Street analysts forecast SR stock price to rise
6 Analyst Rating
5 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 77.270
Low
89.00
Averages
96.67
High
104.00
Current: 77.270
Low
89.00
Averages
96.67
High
104.00
About SR
Spire Inc. is a holding company for Spire Missouri Inc. (Spire Missouri), Spire Alabama Inc. (Spire Alabama), other gas utilities, and gas-related businesses. Spire Missouri is a public utility engaged in the purchase, retail distribution and sale of natural gas. Spire Alabama is a public utility engaged in the purchase, retail distribution and sale of natural gas principally in central and northern Alabama, serving residential and commercial customers. Its segments include Gas Utility, and Midstream. The Gas Utility segment includes the regulated operations of Spire Missouri, Spire Alabama, Spire Gulf Inc. and Spire Mississippi Inc. The Midstream segment includes Spire STL Pipeline LLC, Spire MoGas Pipeline LLC, and Spire Storage, which are subsidiaries engaged in the transportation and storage of natural gas. Spire Gulf and Spire Mississippi are utilities engaged in the purchase, retail distribution and sale of natural gas to the Alabama area and south-central Mississippi.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Growth Prospects Analysis of Southwest Gas and Spire
- Rising Natural Gas Demand: The increasing demand for natural gas in the U.S. due to its cleaner-burning characteristics is driving stable revenues for utilities like Southwest Gas and Spire, which are investing in infrastructure and customer growth.
- Financial Performance Comparison: Southwest Gas is projected to have an EPS of $4.27 in 2026 and $4.85 in 2027, indicating year-over-year growth rates of 16.99% and 13.63%, showcasing strong financial growth potential.
- Capital Investment Plans: Southwest Gas plans to invest $6.3 billion from 2026 to 2030, with 73% allocated to its operations and 27% to the Great Basin project, aimed at enhancing service reliability and supporting infrastructure development.
- Debt and Return on Equity: Southwest Gas has a debt-to-capital ratio of 46.11%, lower than Spire's 69.95%, while Spire's return on equity stands at 9.49%, outperforming Southwest Gas's 6.95%, highlighting differences in financial management between the two companies.
See More
Latest Wall Street Ratings Overview
- Goldman Sachs Bullish on Aevex: Goldman Sachs initiates coverage of Aevex (AVEX) with a Buy rating and a $34 price target, based on a 5.4X CY27 EV/Sales, indicating confidence in the company's unique position in the drone market and its growth potential.
- Citi Raises Broadcom Target: Citi raises Broadcom's price target from $475 to $500, applying a 20x multiple to FY28 EPS of $25, reflecting optimism about the company's earnings visibility and maintaining its status as the #1 semiconductor pick for 2026.
- JPMorgan Upgrades Braskem: JPMorgan upgrades Braskem to Overweight from Neutral, citing improved market fundamentals, tighter supply, and strengthened governance post-restructuring, which are expected to enhance profit margins in the chemical sector.
- Evercore Initiates Benitec Coverage: Evercore initiates coverage of Benitec Biopharma with an Overweight rating, highlighting significant upside potential in the rare disease market, suggesting promising investment opportunities ahead.
See More
Spire Inc. Reports Q2 2026 Earnings and Strategic Updates
- Earnings Highlights: Spire Inc. reported adjusted earnings per share of $3.76 for Q2, an 18.6% increase from $3.17 a year ago, indicating improved profitability following the Tennessee acquisition despite facing climate-related challenges.
- Acquisition and Financing: The successful acquisition of the Tennessee business added over 200,000 customers, funded through $900 million of junior subordinated notes and an $800 million term loan, ensuring adequate capital for growth and enhancing market competitiveness.
- Future Outlook: Spire provided adjusted EPS guidance for fiscal 2026 in the range of $3.90 to $4.10, reflecting confidence in future growth, although gas utility earnings expectations were lowered due to adverse weather conditions.
- Regulatory Challenges: Due to unusual weather in Missouri, customer usage fell below historical patterns, leading to a margin shortfall; Spire has filed for an accounting authority order to seek recovery, demonstrating proactive management in addressing external environmental changes.
See More
Spire Reports Strong Q2 Results with Adjusted Earnings Growth
- Financial Performance Boost: Spire reported a net income of $217.6 million ($3.51 per share) for Q2 2026, up from $189.3 million ($3.17 per share) in the prior year, demonstrating robust performance in its core natural gas utility business.
- Adjusted Earnings Growth: Adjusted earnings reached $223.7 million ($3.76 per share), significantly higher than last year's $189.3 million ($3.17 per share), primarily driven by the implementation of new rates and infrastructure investments.
- Strong Gas Utility Performance: The gas utility segment posted adjusted earnings of $234.8 million, an increase from $195.2 million year-over-year, reflecting the positive impact of new rates and sales growth, despite some pressure from weather-related factors.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: Spire updated its fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings guidance to a range of $3.90 to $4.10 per share, underscoring the consistency of its long-term growth strategy and confidence in future performance.
See More
Spire Scheduled to Announce Q2 Earnings Results
- Earnings Announcement Date: Spire (SR) is set to announce its Q2 earnings on May 6 before market open, with a consensus EPS estimate of $3.69, reflecting a substantial year-over-year increase of 175.4%, indicating a significant improvement in profitability.
- Revenue Expectations: Analysts forecast Spire's revenue to reach $1.02 billion, representing a 52.4% year-over-year growth, suggesting strong sales momentum that could attract increased investor interest.
- Performance Beat Record: Over the past two years, Spire has beaten EPS estimates 50% of the time and revenue estimates 63% of the time, demonstrating stability and reliability in its financial performance.
- Estimate Revision Dynamics: In the last three months, there has been one upward revision and no downward revisions for EPS estimates, while revenue estimates have seen two downward revisions, reflecting a cautious market outlook on the company's future performance.
See More
Spire Completes $215 Million Sale of Gas Marketing Business
- Transaction Completion: Spire Inc. successfully completed the sale of its gas marketing business, Spire Marketing, to Boardwalk Pipelines for $215 million in cash on April 30, 2026, marking a strategic focus on core utility operations.
- Employee and Client Transition: Employees and clients of Spire Marketing will transition to Boardwalk's new unit, Boardwalk Continuum Marketing, ensuring continuity of service and a seamless transition for customers.
- Use of Proceeds: The proceeds from this transaction will be partially used to fund Spire's acquisition of Piedmont Natural Gas Tennessee and for general corporate purposes, enhancing the company's financial flexibility and long-term earnings visibility.
- Enhanced Market Responsiveness: Boardwalk Continuum Marketing will leverage its scale and commercial capabilities in the North American natural gas market to provide differentiated, market-responsive services that help customers navigate the complexities of the energy landscape.
See More
Growth Prospects Analysis of Southwest Gas and Spire
- Rising Natural Gas Demand: The increasing demand for natural gas in the U.S. due to its cleaner-burning characteristics is driving stable revenues for utilities like Southwest Gas and Spire, which are investing in infrastructure and customer growth.
- Financial Performance Comparison: Southwest Gas is projected to have an EPS of $4.27 in 2026 and $4.85 in 2027, indicating year-over-year growth rates of 16.99% and 13.63%, showcasing strong financial growth potential.
- Capital Investment Plans: Southwest Gas plans to invest $6.3 billion from 2026 to 2030, with 73% allocated to its operations and 27% to the Great Basin project, aimed at enhancing service reliability and supporting infrastructure development.
- Debt and Return on Equity: Southwest Gas has a debt-to-capital ratio of 46.11%, lower than Spire's 69.95%, while Spire's return on equity stands at 9.49%, outperforming Southwest Gas's 6.95%, highlighting differences in financial management between the two companies.
See More
Latest Wall Street Ratings Overview
- Goldman Sachs Bullish on Aevex: Goldman Sachs initiates coverage of Aevex (AVEX) with a Buy rating and a $34 price target, based on a 5.4X CY27 EV/Sales, indicating confidence in the company's unique position in the drone market and its growth potential.
- Citi Raises Broadcom Target: Citi raises Broadcom's price target from $475 to $500, applying a 20x multiple to FY28 EPS of $25, reflecting optimism about the company's earnings visibility and maintaining its status as the #1 semiconductor pick for 2026.
- JPMorgan Upgrades Braskem: JPMorgan upgrades Braskem to Overweight from Neutral, citing improved market fundamentals, tighter supply, and strengthened governance post-restructuring, which are expected to enhance profit margins in the chemical sector.
- Evercore Initiates Benitec Coverage: Evercore initiates coverage of Benitec Biopharma with an Overweight rating, highlighting significant upside potential in the rare disease market, suggesting promising investment opportunities ahead.
See More
Spire Inc. Reports Q2 2026 Earnings and Strategic Updates
- Earnings Highlights: Spire Inc. reported adjusted earnings per share of $3.76 for Q2, an 18.6% increase from $3.17 a year ago, indicating improved profitability following the Tennessee acquisition despite facing climate-related challenges.
- Acquisition and Financing: The successful acquisition of the Tennessee business added over 200,000 customers, funded through $900 million of junior subordinated notes and an $800 million term loan, ensuring adequate capital for growth and enhancing market competitiveness.
- Future Outlook: Spire provided adjusted EPS guidance for fiscal 2026 in the range of $3.90 to $4.10, reflecting confidence in future growth, although gas utility earnings expectations were lowered due to adverse weather conditions.
- Regulatory Challenges: Due to unusual weather in Missouri, customer usage fell below historical patterns, leading to a margin shortfall; Spire has filed for an accounting authority order to seek recovery, demonstrating proactive management in addressing external environmental changes.
See More
Spire Reports Strong Q2 Results with Adjusted Earnings Growth
- Financial Performance Boost: Spire reported a net income of $217.6 million ($3.51 per share) for Q2 2026, up from $189.3 million ($3.17 per share) in the prior year, demonstrating robust performance in its core natural gas utility business.
- Adjusted Earnings Growth: Adjusted earnings reached $223.7 million ($3.76 per share), significantly higher than last year's $189.3 million ($3.17 per share), primarily driven by the implementation of new rates and infrastructure investments.
- Strong Gas Utility Performance: The gas utility segment posted adjusted earnings of $234.8 million, an increase from $195.2 million year-over-year, reflecting the positive impact of new rates and sales growth, despite some pressure from weather-related factors.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: Spire updated its fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings guidance to a range of $3.90 to $4.10 per share, underscoring the consistency of its long-term growth strategy and confidence in future performance.
See More
Spire Scheduled to Announce Q2 Earnings Results
- Earnings Announcement Date: Spire (SR) is set to announce its Q2 earnings on May 6 before market open, with a consensus EPS estimate of $3.69, reflecting a substantial year-over-year increase of 175.4%, indicating a significant improvement in profitability.
- Revenue Expectations: Analysts forecast Spire's revenue to reach $1.02 billion, representing a 52.4% year-over-year growth, suggesting strong sales momentum that could attract increased investor interest.
- Performance Beat Record: Over the past two years, Spire has beaten EPS estimates 50% of the time and revenue estimates 63% of the time, demonstrating stability and reliability in its financial performance.
- Estimate Revision Dynamics: In the last three months, there has been one upward revision and no downward revisions for EPS estimates, while revenue estimates have seen two downward revisions, reflecting a cautious market outlook on the company's future performance.
See More
Spire Completes $215 Million Sale of Gas Marketing Business
- Transaction Completion: Spire Inc. successfully completed the sale of its gas marketing business, Spire Marketing, to Boardwalk Pipelines for $215 million in cash on April 30, 2026, marking a strategic focus on core utility operations.
- Employee and Client Transition: Employees and clients of Spire Marketing will transition to Boardwalk's new unit, Boardwalk Continuum Marketing, ensuring continuity of service and a seamless transition for customers.
- Use of Proceeds: The proceeds from this transaction will be partially used to fund Spire's acquisition of Piedmont Natural Gas Tennessee and for general corporate purposes, enhancing the company's financial flexibility and long-term earnings visibility.
- Enhanced Market Responsiveness: Boardwalk Continuum Marketing will leverage its scale and commercial capabilities in the North American natural gas market to provide differentiated, market-responsive services that help customers navigate the complexities of the energy landscape.
See More
