Xcel Energy Backs Earnings View For FY21, Long Term WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - While announcing higher first-quarter results, Xcel Energy Inc (XEL) Thursday said it continues to expect fiscal 2021 GAAP and ongoing earnings in a range of $2.90 to $3.00 per share, higher than last year's $2.79 per share. On average, 16 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to report earnings of $2.97 per share. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items. Further, Xcel Energy said it expects to deliver an attractive total return to shareholders through a combination of earnings growth and dividend yield, based on its long-term objectives. The company projects long-term annual earnings per share growth of 5 percent to 7 percent based off of a 2020 base of $2.78 per share, which represents the mid-point of the original 2020 guidance range of $2.73 to $2.83 per share.