Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO) Price Target Raised to $144.00

Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO) had its price target increased by Barclays from $129.00 to $144.00 in a research report released on Monday, Benzinga reports. They currently have an equal weight rating on the utilities provider’s stock.

A number of other equities analysts also recently issued reports on ATO. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on Atmos Energy from $132.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, August 9th. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on Atmos Energy from $128.00 to $140.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 25th. StockNews.com cut Atmos Energy from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 2nd. Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on shares of Atmos Energy in a research report on Wednesday, October 2nd. They set a hold rating and a $155.00 target price for the company. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on shares of Atmos Energy from $134.00 to $144.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, August 15th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $142.56.

Atmos Energy Trading Down 0.1 %

Shares of NYSE:ATO opened at $138.04 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $20.83 billion, a PE ratio of 20.70, a P/E/G ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.68. The company has a current ratio of 1.73, a quick ratio of 1.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65. Atmos Energy has a 12-month low of $105.44 and a 12-month high of $140.04. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $133.06 and its 200-day simple moving average is $123.06.

Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, August 7th. The utilities provider reported $1.08 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.05 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $701.55 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $924.75 million. Atmos Energy had a net margin of 25.09% and a return on equity of 8.94%. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.94 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Atmos Energy will post 6.78 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Atmos Energy Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 9th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 26th were given a dividend of $0.805 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 26th. This represents a $3.22 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.33%. Atmos Energy’s dividend payout ratio is presently 48.28%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Atmos Energy

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main raised its stake in shares of Atmos Energy by 3.5% in the fourth quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main now owns 1,489,174 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $172,595,000 after acquiring an additional 50,209 shares in the last quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co boosted its stake in shares of Atmos Energy by 3.9% in the 1st quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co now owns 176,224 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $20,957,000 after buying an additional 6,641 shares during the period. Jupiter Asset Management Ltd. acquired a new position in shares of Atmos Energy during the first quarter worth about $1,876,000. Swedbank AB increased its stake in shares of Atmos Energy by 565.3% during the second quarter. Swedbank AB now owns 40,621 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $4,738,000 after buying an additional 34,515 shares during the period. Finally, M&G Plc purchased a new stake in shares of Atmos Energy during the first quarter worth approximately $32,941,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.17% of the company’s stock.

About Atmos Energy

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.