Rhumbline Advisers Decreases Stake in Atmos Energy Co. (NYSE:ATO)

Rhumbline Advisers lowered its position in Atmos Energy Co. (NYSE:ATO) by 2.1% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 324,368 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after selling 6,818 shares during the quarter. Rhumbline Advisers owned approximately 0.21% of Atmos Energy worth $45,175,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in ATO. Creative Planning lifted its stake in Atmos Energy by 2.0% in the third quarter. Creative Planning now owns 34,491 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $4,784,000 after acquiring an additional 663 shares during the last quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. lifted its position in shares of Atmos Energy by 10.6% during the 3rd quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 4,438 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $616,000 after buying an additional 424 shares during the last quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Atmos Energy by 1.4% during the 3rd quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 5,973 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $829,000 after buying an additional 85 shares during the last quarter. Capital Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Atmos Energy during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $202,000. Finally, Raymond James & Associates lifted its position in shares of Atmos Energy by 2.4% during the 3rd quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 514,896 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $71,421,000 after buying an additional 11,878 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.17% of the company’s stock.

Atmos Energy Stock Performance

Shares of ATO opened at $146.67 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a current ratio of 1.56. The stock has a market capitalization of $23.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.89, a P/E/G ratio of 2.81 and a beta of 0.72. The company’s fifty day moving average is $141.31 and its two-hundred day moving average is $139.28. Atmos Energy Co. has a 1 year low of $110.97 and a 1 year high of $152.65.

Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 4th. The utilities provider reported $2.23 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.20 by $0.03. Atmos Energy had a net margin of 25.90% and a return on equity of 8.89%. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Atmos Energy Co. will post 7.18 earnings per share for the current year.

Atmos Energy Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 10th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 25th will be paid a dividend of $0.87 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 25th. This represents a $3.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.37%. Atmos Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 49.57%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Argus upgraded shares of Atmos Energy from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $150.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Friday, December 20th. Bank of America assumed coverage on shares of Atmos Energy in a research report on Friday, December 13th. They set a “buy” rating and a $156.00 price objective for the company. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on shares of Atmos Energy from $145.00 to $143.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, November 22nd. StockNews.com cut shares of Atmos Energy from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Thursday, February 6th. Finally, Mizuho lifted their target price on shares of Atmos Energy from $148.00 to $165.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 27th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $148.75.

Atmos Energy Company Profile

Atmos Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the regulated natural gas distribution, and pipeline and storage businesses in the United States. It operates through two segments, Distribution, and Pipeline and Storage. The Distribution segment is involved in the regulated natural gas distribution and related sales operations in eight states.