Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET) Stock Price Down 0.3%

Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET)’s stock price was down 0.3% on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $15.39 and last traded at $15.45. Approximately 3,234,901 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 74% from the average daily volume of 12,461,806 shares. The stock had previously closed at $15.49.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have commented on the company. Citigroup raised their target price on Energy Transfer from $17.00 to $18.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 21st. UBS Group reduced their target price on Energy Transfer from $23.00 to $22.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, February 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $17.57.

Energy Transfer Stock Up 1.1 %

The firm has a market cap of $52.92 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.41 and a beta of 1.64. The company has a current ratio of 1.10, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.37. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $14.68 and a 200-day moving average price of $14.03.

Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 14th. The pipeline company reported $0.37 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.29 by $0.08. The firm had revenue of $20.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $21.46 billion. Energy Transfer had a return on equity of 12.17% and a net margin of 4.85%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.34 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Energy Transfer LP will post 1.44 EPS for the current year.

Energy Transfer Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, February 20th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 7th were issued a $0.315 dividend. This is a boost from Energy Transfer’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.31. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 6th. This represents a $1.26 annualized dividend and a yield of 8.02%. Energy Transfer’s payout ratio is 115.60%.

Institutional Trading of Energy Transfer

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC lifted its position in Energy Transfer by 109,332.4% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 145,943,387 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $1,732,348,000 after acquiring an additional 145,810,023 shares in the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its position in Energy Transfer by 28.5% during the 4th quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 81,532,518 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $1,125,149,000 after acquiring an additional 18,087,249 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley lifted its position in Energy Transfer by 20.9% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 76,339,168 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $906,146,000 after acquiring an additional 13,220,435 shares in the last quarter. Alps Advisors Inc. lifted its position in Energy Transfer by 14.5% during the 3rd quarter. Alps Advisors Inc. now owns 73,666,501 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $1,033,541,000 after acquiring an additional 9,341,798 shares in the last quarter. Finally, UBS Group AG lifted its position in Energy Transfer by 13.3% during the 4th quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 28,642,769 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $395,270,000 after acquiring an additional 3,368,427 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 38.22% of the company’s stock.

About Energy Transfer

Energy Transfer LP provides energy-related services. The company owns and operates natural gas transportation pipeline, and natural gas storage facilities in Texas and Oklahoma; and approximately 20,090 miles of interstate natural gas pipeline. It also sells natural gas to electric utilities, independent power plants, local distribution and other marketing companies, and industrial end-users.