The transition to lower-carbon energy will require a massive investment. According to Goldman Sachs, the world needs to invest an estimated $3 trillion annually through the end of the decade to support its goals of reaching net zero carbon emissions in the coming decades. That massive investment spans multiple opportunities, including renewable energy, electricity grids, and increased electrification.
One company that is absolutely critical to building this infrastructure is Quanta Services (NYSE: PWR). It’s the industry leader in providing specialized infrastructure solutions. Here’s a closer look at this crucial infrastructure stock.
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Quanta Services provides specialized infrastructure solutions to the utilities, renewable energy, technology, communications, pipeline, and energy industries. Its client list is a who’s who of industry leaders in those respective sectors, including Duke Energy, NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE), Verizon, and Enbridge. It helps these companies design, install, repair, and maintain their infrastructures.
While the company’s services span several infrastructure assets, about three-quarters of its revenues come from utilities and renewable energy developers. That puts it in a strong position to capitalize on the growing total addressable market opportunity for infrastructure related to the transition to lower-carbon energy.
For example, investor-owned U.S. electric utilities (e.g., Duke Energy and NextEra) expect to incur $186.4 billion in capital expenses to maintain and expand their electricity transmission and distribution systems and power-generating capabilities this year. They will spend $51 billion on power-generation projects, with 65% of that capital going toward renewable energy.
That number should rise significantly in the coming years. Forecasters estimate that the U.S. will deploy 375-450 gigawatts (GW) of new renewable and storage capacity over the next seven years. That’s three times more capacity than the country deployed over the last seven (140 GW).
Customers like NextEra Energy are driving this acceleration (it expects to more than double its renewables and storage capacity from 38 GW today to 81 GW by 2027). NextEra Energy is also investing capital to build out transmission lines and maintain and expand its electric utility operations in Florida.
That’s just one opportunity in one country. Quanta Services operates across multiple industries and countries, providing customers with a growing array of services.
Increasing infrastructure investment is driving strong growth for Quanta Services this year. It delivered another quarter of double-digit growth in the third quarter. Its revenue rose from $5.6 billion to $6.5 billion, while its adjusted earnings increased from $2.24 per share to $2.72. It also generated $539.5 million in cash flow, pushing its year-to-date total to nearly $1.4 billion (with almost $980 million in free cash). That strong performance has helped drive a more than 50% increase in its stock price this year.
Quanta Services is in a strong position to continue growing. It ended the third quarter with a record $34 billion of projects in its backlog. That gives it a lot of confidence in its continued growth. “We believe we are well positioned to achieve another year of double-digit earnings-per-share growth in 2025 due to increasing demand for our services, strong execution of our strategic plan and capital deployment opportunities,” stated CEO Duke Austin in the third-quarter earnings press release.
The company has been enhancing its ability to continue growing and capture a greater share of the massive opportunity it sees ahead for energy transition investments. Quanta has made several acquisitions and investments over the past year to bolster its capabilities, including acquiring Cupertino Electric (a premier electrical infrastructure solution provider) and investing in Hybar (a company building a technologically advanced scrap metal recycling rebar mill).
It has also invested capital back into its business to drive additional organic growth. The company believes these investments will enable it to deliver solid revenue and earnings growth over the long term.
The world will invest trillions of dollars in building lower-carbon energy infrastructure in the coming years. That trend plays right into the strengths of Quanta Services, which is a leading provider of specialized infrastructure solutions to utilities and renewable energy developers. It should drive continued healthy growth for the company, making it a potentially compelling way to invest in this massive megatrend.
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Matt DiLallo has positions in Enbridge, NextEra Energy, and Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Enbridge and NextEra Energy. The Motley Fool recommends Duke Energy and Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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