Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET) Trading Up 0.2% – Should You Buy?

Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET) shares were up 0.2% on Thursday . The company traded as high as $19.02 and last traded at $18.96. Approximately 2,498,615 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 85% from the average daily volume of 16,494,176 shares. The stock had previously closed at $18.93.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the company. Citigroup reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Energy Transfer in a research note on Monday. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on Energy Transfer from $20.00 to $21.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 18th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on Energy Transfer from $21.00 to $23.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their target price on shares of Energy Transfer from $17.00 to $20.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 19th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $23.00 price target on shares of Energy Transfer in a research report on Tuesday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $22.09.

Energy Transfer Trading Up 0.4 %

The stock has a market cap of $65.24 billion, a PE ratio of 14.85, a PEG ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 1.72. The company has a current ratio of 1.12, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.42. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $19.52 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $18.33.

Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 11th. The pipeline company reported $0.29 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.35 by ($0.06). Energy Transfer had a net margin of 5.74% and a return on equity of 11.56%. As a group, equities analysts expect that Energy Transfer LP will post 1.46 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Energy Transfer Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Investors of record on Friday, February 7th were paid a $0.325 dividend. This represents a $1.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.84%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 7th. This is a boost from Energy Transfer’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.32. Energy Transfer’s dividend payout ratio is currently 101.56%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Energy Transfer

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Watts Gwilliam & Co. LLC purchased a new position in shares of Energy Transfer during the 4th quarter valued at about $1,297,000. CUSHING ASSET MANAGEMENT LP dba NXG INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT raised its stake in shares of Energy Transfer by 4.0% during the fourth quarter. CUSHING ASSET MANAGEMENT LP dba NXG INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT now owns 7,586,598 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $148,621,000 after acquiring an additional 293,088 shares in the last quarter. Forvis Mazars Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Energy Transfer by 164.1% during the fourth quarter. Forvis Mazars Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 60,566 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $1,186,000 after acquiring an additional 37,633 shares in the last quarter. Paragon Capital Management Ltd lifted its holdings in shares of Energy Transfer by 435.5% in the 4th quarter. Paragon Capital Management Ltd now owns 68,724 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $1,346,000 after acquiring an additional 55,890 shares during the last quarter. Finally, FFG Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of Energy Transfer by 0.9% in the 4th quarter. FFG Partners LLC now owns 1,650,574 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $32,335,000 after purchasing an additional 13,948 shares in the last quarter. 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.