Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET) Trading Up 0.6% – Should You Buy?

Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET)’s share price traded up 0.6% on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $18.70 and last traded at $18.71. 2,850,323 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 82% from the average session volume of 16,219,917 shares. The stock had previously closed at $18.59.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have issued reports on ET. UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Energy Transfer in a research report on Tuesday, March 4th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on shares of Energy Transfer from $17.00 to $20.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 19th. Citigroup restated a “buy” rating on shares of Energy Transfer in a research report on Monday, March 24th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $23.00 price objective on shares of Energy Transfer in a report on Tuesday, March 25th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus boosted their target price on Energy Transfer from $21.00 to $23.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $22.09.

Energy Transfer Stock Up 1.0 %

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.42, a current ratio of 1.12 and a quick ratio of 0.88. The stock has a market capitalization of $64.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.78, a PEG ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 1.72. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $19.34 and its two-hundred day moving average is $18.43.

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

Energy Transfer Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Investors of record on Friday, February 7th were paid a $0.325 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 7th. This represents a $1.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.87%. This is a boost from Energy Transfer’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.32. Energy Transfer’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 101.56%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in ET. Mountain Hill Investment Partners Corp. purchased a new stake in shares of Energy Transfer in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Capital A Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Energy Transfer during the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. GAMMA Investing LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Energy Transfer in the fourth quarter valued at $29,000. Fourth Dimension Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Energy Transfer in the fourth quarter worth $29,000. Finally, United Community Bank purchased a new position in shares of Energy Transfer during the fourth quarter valued at $35,000. 38.22% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.