EQT (NYSE:EQT) Stock Price Crosses Below 200 Day Moving Average – Here’s Why

EQT Corporation (NYSE:EQT)’s stock price crossed below its 200-day moving average during trading on Monday. The stock has a 200-day moving average of $55.42 and traded as low as $52.29. EQT shares last traded at $54.8610, with a volume of 27,250,177 shares.

Trending Headlines about EQT

Here are the key news stories impacting EQT this week:

• Positive Sentiment: EQT’s proposed all-stock acquisition of Range Resources would create a natural-gas producer valued at more than $50 billion. Management expects greater scale, cost savings and stronger free cash flow, potentially improving EQT’s competitive position in the U.S. gas market. EQT to Acquire Range Resources, Create a Leading Natural Gas Company
• Positive Sentiment: Third-quarter adjusted earnings of $0.42 per share exceeded analyst expectations of approximately $0.37-$0.38, helped by lower operating costs and capital discipline. Revenue of $1.77 billion also slightly surpassed estimates of $1.76 billion. EQT Q3 Earnings Beat Estimates on Lower Operating Costs, Revenues Miss
• Positive Sentiment: Freedom Broker maintained a “buy” rating while lowering its price target from $81 to $77, implying substantial potential upside from recent trading levels. Freedom Broker price target
• Neutral Sentiment: Wells Fargo reduced its target from $79 to $71 but retained an “overweight” rating, indicating continued confidence despite more cautious valuation assumptions. Wells Fargo price target
• Negative Sentiment: Quarterly revenue declined 9.6% year over year, earnings fell from $0.52 per share in the prior-year period, and lower gas volumes and cash flow remain concerns. The Range transaction also includes a potentially significant $1.148 billion reverse termination fee, adding execution and financial risk. EQT Range Resources termination fee
• Negative Sentiment: Scotiabank lowered its target from $54 to $53 and kept a “sector perform” rating, reflecting limited near-term upside in its view. Scotiabank price target

Analysts Set New Price Targets

EQT has been the topic of several recent research reports. Freedom Capital upgraded shares of EQT to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, June 30th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on shares of EQT from $68.00 to $67.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, August 19th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on shares of EQT from $79.00 to $71.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price target on shares of EQT from $75.00 to $73.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, September 29th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of EQT in a research note on Tuesday, October 20th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have issued a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $67.78.

EQT Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a current ratio of 0.67. The stock has a market cap of $35.20 billion, a PE ratio of 13.06 and a beta of 0.66. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $53.16 and a 200 day moving average price of $55.46.

EQT (NYSE:EQT) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, October 27th. The oil and gas producer reported $0.42 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.37 by $0.05. EQT had a return on equity of 9.31% and a net margin of 28.44%. The firm had revenue of $1.77 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.76 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.52 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 9.6% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts forecast that EQT Corporation will post 3.91 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

EQT Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 1st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, November 4th will be issued a $0.17 dividend. This is a boost from EQT’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.1650. This represents a $0.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, November 4th. EQT’s dividend payout ratio is 15.78%.

Insider Buying and Selling at EQT

In related news, CEO Toby Rice sold 175,328 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $55.03, for a total value of $9,648,299.84. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 2,157,865 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $118,747,310.95. This trade represents a 7.51% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders own 0.72% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of EQT

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company acquired a new stake in EQT during the second quarter worth about $163,705,000. Bank of America Corp DE raised its position in EQT by 7.2% during the second quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 4,240,709 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock valued at $225,478,000 after acquiring an additional 284,244 shares in the last quarter. NEOS Investment Management LLC raised its position in EQT by 14.8% during the second quarter. NEOS Investment Management LLC now owns 102,572 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock valued at $5,454,000 after acquiring an additional 13,201 shares in the last quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in EQT by 156.2% in the second quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 93,774 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock valued at $4,986,000 after acquiring an additional 57,179 shares during the period. Finally, Core Capital Management & Research inc. acquired a new position in EQT in the second quarter valued at approximately $1,074,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.81% of the company’s stock.

EQT Company Profile

EQT Corporation is a natural gas exploration and production company headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The company develops and operates unconventional oil and gas properties, with a primary focus on natural gas and natural gas liquids produced from shale formations.

EQT’s operations are concentrated in the Appalachian Basin, particularly the Marcellus and Utica shale formations in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. Its activities include drilling, completion, production and management of natural gas wells, along with related gathering and infrastructure operations that support the transportation of its products to market.

The company traces its roots to Equitable Gas, founded in 1878, and has evolved through multiple stages of expansion and restructuring in the U.S.