Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Purchases 109,325 Shares of MDU Resources Group, Inc. (NYSE:MDU)

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans increased its position in shares of MDU Resources Group, Inc. (NYSE:MDU) by 226.5% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 157,595 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 109,325 shares during the period. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans owned approximately 0.08% of MDU Resources Group worth $2,840,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MDU. Principal Securities Inc. boosted its position in shares of MDU Resources Group by 164.4% during the fourth quarter. Principal Securities Inc. now owns 1,470 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 914 shares during the period. V Square Quantitative Management LLC boosted its holdings in MDU Resources Group by 99.6% during the 4th quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC now owns 1,834 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 915 shares during the period. Crews Bank & Trust bought a new position in MDU Resources Group in the 4th quarter valued at $39,000. Blue Trust Inc. increased its stake in MDU Resources Group by 19.4% in the fourth quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 3,505 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $63,000 after purchasing an additional 570 shares during the period. Finally, Millburn Ridgefield Corp bought a new stake in shares of MDU Resources Group during the third quarter worth $82,000. 71.44% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

MDU Resources Group Price Performance

Shares of MDU opened at $16.68 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73, a quick ratio of 1.07 and a current ratio of 1.15. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $17.15 and a 200-day moving average price of $20.52. MDU Resources Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $12.99 and a fifty-two week high of $20.39. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.41 billion, a PE ratio of 12.09, a PEG ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 0.81.

MDU Resources Group (NYSE:MDU) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 6th. The utilities provider reported $0.34 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.31 by $0.03. MDU Resources Group had a return on equity of 10.20% and a net margin of 7.31%. Equities analysts predict that MDU Resources Group, Inc. will post 0.94 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

MDU Resources Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 1st. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 13th will be issued a $0.13 dividend. This represents a $0.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.12%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 13th. MDU Resources Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 37.68%.

Insider Transactions at MDU Resources Group

In other MDU Resources Group news, Director Dennis W. Johnson purchased 30,000 shares of MDU Resources Group stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 10th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $16.64 per share, with a total value of $499,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 180,166 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,997,962.24. This trade represents a 19.98 % increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 1.00% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts recently commented on the stock. StockNews.com downgraded shares of MDU Resources Group from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 20th. Jefferies Financial Group began coverage on shares of MDU Resources Group in a research note on Wednesday, January 8th. They set a “hold” rating and a $18.00 price target for the company. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $21.00.

About MDU Resources Group

MDU Resources Group, Inc engages in the regulated energy delivery, and construction materials and services businesses in the United States. It operates through four segments: Electric, Natural Gas Distribution, Pipeline, and Construction Services. The Electric segment generates, transmits, and distributes electricity for residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming; and operates 3,400 miles of transmission lines, 4,800 miles of distribution lines, and 82 transmission and 298 distribution substations.