National Grid plc stock back in focus as BofA lifts target after £70 billion plan

National Grid plc stock back in focus as BofA lifts target after £70 billion plan

March 9, 2026

LONDON, March 9, 2026, 22:01 GMT

  • BofA bumped up its price target for National Grid, moving it to 1,525 pence from the previous 1,300 on Monday. Morningstar
  • Last week, the utility pushed its framework out to FY31, agreed to Ofgem’s RIIO-T3 terms, and raised its projected earnings growth for FY27. SEC

Bank of America bumped up its price target for National Grid to 1,525 pence from 1,300 on Monday, handing the British utility another dose of analyst support following last week’s growth upgrade. London-listed shares last changed hands at 1,332.5 pence, slipping 5 pence earlier in the session, Reuters data showed. Morningstar

This call comes as National Grid prepares to enter RIIO-T3, Ofgem’s upcoming five-year framework that will determine both spending caps and grid-owner returns. Back on March 2, the company projected that the regulator’s bump to allowed revenue would drive a 13% to 15% increase in underlying earnings per share by fiscal 2027. SEC

National Grid pushed its financial framework out to FY31 and committed to investing a minimum of 70 billion pounds across the business—a 70% jump from the prior five-year period. “Disciplined execution, at scale” is how Chief Executive Zoë Yujnovich summed up the approach, pointing to the growing role of modern networks for expansion in both Britain and the U.S. Northeast. SEC

The filing broke down roughly 31 billion pounds for UK electricity transmission, 9 billion for UK distribution, 17 billion targeting New York, and 12 billion set aside for New England. National Grid Ventures is allocated 1 billion. Group assets could hit around 115 billion pounds by FY31, the company said. SEC

The UK angle is key here—the fresh licence hands investors clearer line of sight on returns, right as Britain looks to scale up its grid. National Grid expects the new setup to push its transmission unit’s return on equity above 9%. That’s a notch higher than the 6.12% real allowed cost of equity (with 60% gearing) that Ofgem locked in with its final decision. SEC

SSE threw its support behind Ofgem’s updated framework last week, signaling just how much the UK’s major network operators are relying on regulatory certainty to back fresh investment plans. National Grid, for its part, said RIIO-T3 clears a path to ramp up spending enough to almost double national power transfer capacity. Morningstar

Even so, there’s plenty that could throw a wrench in the plan. National Grid noted that hitting its asset target isn’t guaranteed—it all rides on regulatory sign-offs, customer demand, and a handful of other moving parts. The company also pointed to risks from interest and exchange rates, supply chain issues, how projects line up, and whatever regulators decide down the road. Any hiccup could sap the earnings boost investors are currently counting on. SEC

BofA’s latest call is keeping the stock on traders’ radar following a steep guidance reset. As of late Monday, the U.S.-listed ADRs changed hands at $90.41, marking a 55-cent gain from the prior close, according to market data.

Marcin Frąckiewicz

Marcin Frąckiewicz is the CEO of TS2 Space and a longtime technology entrepreneur focused on telecommunications, satellite communications and digital innovation. A graduate of the Warsaw School of Economics (SGH), he writes about space technology, artificial intelligence and publicly traded technology companies. His analysis covers major market trends, emerging technologies and the businesses shaping the future of the global economy.

Stock Market Today

  • Brambles (ASX:BXB) Rises Ahead of ASX 200; U.S. Repair Costs and $400M Buyback Key Focus
    June 26, 2026, 8:10 PM EDT. Brambles Limited (ASX:BXB) shares gained 2.3% over the week, closing at A$19.64 on June 26, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 which fell 0.73%. Volume was low at 2.82 million, under the average 6.47 million. The company announced a US$400 million buyback representing 36%-40% of FY26 free cash flow guidance, approximately seven times the forecasted US$60 million U.S. pallet repair cost impacting earnings. Despite reduced FY26 sales guidance and profit outlook due to ongoing U.S. pallet repair issues, Brambles remains focused on margin expansion targets by FY28. Investors await more clarity on buyback filings and repair cost developments ahead of the August 20 FY26 results release.