Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET) Shares Down 0.9%

Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET)’s share price fell 0.9% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $14.97 and last traded at $15.10. 22,004,915 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 112% from the average session volume of 10,364,834 shares. The stock had previously closed at $15.23.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have issued reports on ET. Citigroup boosted their price target on Energy Transfer from $17.00 to $18.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 21st. UBS Group cut their price target on Energy Transfer from $23.00 to $22.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $17.57.

Energy Transfer Trading Down 0.9 %

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.37, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a current ratio of 1.10. The stock has a market capitalization of $50.88 billion, a PE ratio of 13.85 and a beta of 1.64. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $15.10 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $14.21.

Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 14th. The pipeline company reported $0.37 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.29 by $0.08. Energy Transfer had a return on equity of 12.17% and a net margin of 4.85%. The company had revenue of $20.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $21.46 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.34 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Energy Transfer LP will post 1.44 earnings per share for the current year.

Energy Transfer Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, February 20th. Investors of record on Wednesday, February 7th were issued a $0.315 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 6th. This is a boost from Energy Transfer’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.31. This represents a $1.26 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 8.34%. Energy Transfer’s payout ratio is currently 115.60%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ET. Activest Wealth Management raised its holdings in shares of Energy Transfer by 33.9% during the 4th quarter. Activest Wealth Management now owns 2,909 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $40,000 after acquiring an additional 736 shares in the last quarter. Veracity Capital LLC raised its holdings in shares of Energy Transfer by 2.3% during the 4th quarter. Veracity Capital LLC now owns 32,203 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $444,000 after acquiring an additional 738 shares in the last quarter. Harbor Investment Advisory LLC raised its holdings in shares of Energy Transfer by 42.9% during the 4th quarter. Harbor Investment Advisory LLC now owns 2,500 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 750 shares in the last quarter. Ethos Financial Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of Energy Transfer by 5.0% during the 4th quarter. Ethos Financial Group LLC now owns 15,866 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $219,000 after acquiring an additional 753 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Morton Capital Management LLC CA raised its holdings in shares of Energy Transfer by 1.8% during the 1st quarter. Morton Capital Management LLC CA now owns 43,684 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $687,000 after acquiring an additional 757 shares in the last quarter. 38.22% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.