IDA

We rate IDACORP INC (IDA) as a Reduce with a composite score of 47.4/100 at a current price of $143.21. The quantitative profile shows weakness across multiple dimensions, suggesting limited upside potential and elevated risk of underperformance relative to peers over the next 12 months.

The rating is primarily driven by strength in stability (91th percentile) and momentum (57th percentile), which together account for the majority of the composite score. Offsetting weakness in value (28th percentile) and quality (33th percentile) tempers our overall conviction. We assign a No Moat rating (36/100), Low uncertainty, and Standard capital allocation.

Key items to watch: valuation compression risk if growth disappoints. Any material change in these dynamics could warrant a reassessment of our rating. The moat trend is stable, which suggests the competitive landscape is stable for now.

IDACORP INC holds a top-quartile position (#0 of 50) within the Transportation, Communications, Electric, Gas, And Sanitary Services sector, based on our composite quantitative scoring across quality, value, momentum, and stability factors. The composite score of 47.4/100 places it at rank #2427 in our full 7,333-stock universe. With a $12.3B market capitalization, IDACORP INC operates at meaningful scale within the Transportation, Communications, Electric, Gas, And Sanitary Services sector, providing competitive advantages in distribution, procurement, and customer reach.

Revenue is growing at 19%, though momentum at the 57th percentile suggests the market has not yet fully recognized this trajectory. This potential disconnect between fundamental improvement and market recognition could represent an opportunity for patient investors if the growth trend persists.

The margin cascade tells an important story: gross margins of 40% (-15.1pp vs sector) narrow to operating margins of 22% (+4.5pp vs sector) and net margins of 20.2%, yielding a gross-to-net conversion rate of 51%. This efficient conversion suggests well-controlled operating costs and limited margin leakage between the gross and net levels.

At a current price of $143.21, IDACORP INC is trading at a premium to fundamental value. Our value factor score of 28/100 reflects a composite assessment across multiple valuation metrics including price-to-earnings, price-to-book, EV/EBITDA, and price-to-sales ratios relative to both sector peers and the broader market. The premium valuation implies the market is pricing in significant future growth or quality improvements that are not yet fully reflected in current fundamentals.

The stock currently trades at a P/E of 19.2x (roughly in line with the sector median of 16.9x), EV/EBITDA of 25.1x (at a premium), P/B of 2.1x, P/S of 3.9x. The above-sector P/E multiple suggests the market is pricing in superior growth or quality, which our analysis finds only partially justified by current fundamentals.

We assign a Low uncertainty rating to IDACORP INC. The company exhibits strong financial stability with a beta of 0.20, and a stability factor in the 91th percentile. The predictable nature of the business model and solid financial position reduce the range of potential outcomes, giving us confidence in our fair value estimate.

Specific risk factors that inform our assessment include: weak quality scores (33th percentile); low beta of 0.20 — while defensive, this may indicate limited upside participation in bull markets. Each of these factors independently widens the distribution of potential outcomes, and in combination they create a risk profile that demands careful position sizing. The stability factor at the 91th percentile and quality factor at the 33th percentile provide a quantitative summary of the overall risk landscape.

Key risk mitigants include: above-average stability (91th percentile) suggests predictable business dynamics; a 2.60% dividend yield anchors total return. These factors partially offset the identified risks and provide downside protection in adverse scenarios. On balance, the risk-reward profile is favorable for long-term investors.

We rate IDACORP INC's capital allocation as Standard. Management has shown adequate — though not exceptional — stewardship of shareholder capital. Returns on equity stand at 11.0%, and the balance sheet is managed within acceptable parameters (D/E: 93%). Exemplary allocators typically sustain ROE above 20% and D/E below 50%; IDACORP INC falls short on at least one dimension.

There is room for improvement in optimizing the capital structure or enhancing shareholder returns. The 2.60% dividend yield provides some income return, but the overall capital allocation framework would benefit from either higher reinvestment returns, improved balance sheet efficiency, or increased shareholder distributions. We will monitor for signs of strategic improvement that could warrant an upgrade.

In summary, IDACORP INC receives a Reduce rating with a composite score of 47.4/100 (rank #2427 of 7,333). Our quantitative framework assigns a No Moat (36/100, trend: stable), Low uncertainty, and Standard capital allocation. The average factor score across quality, value, momentum, stability, and investment is 49/100.

Our analysis does not support a constructive view on IDACORP INC at this time. The combination of limited competitive advantages, low uncertainty, and standard capital allocation suggests unfavorable risk-reward at current levels. We recommend investors avoid new positions and existing holders consider reducing exposure.