Northwest Natural (NYSE:NWN) Posts Quarterly Earnings Results, Misses Expectations By $0.13 EPS

Northwest Natural (NYSE:NWN) announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday. The utilities provider reported $1.69 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.82 by ($0.13), Briefing.com reports. Northwest Natural had a net margin of 7.84% and a return on equity of 7.52%. The firm had revenue of $433.50 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $447.81 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.01 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 6.3% compared to the same quarter last year.

Northwest Natural Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE NWN opened at $37.87 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.70, a current ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.11. The business’s 50 day moving average is $37.05 and its two-hundred day moving average is $37.51. The company has a market cap of $1.44 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.57 and a beta of 0.54. Northwest Natural has a 12 month low of $34.95 and a 12 month high of $47.29.

Northwest Natural Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, April 30th will be issued a $0.488 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 29th. This represents a $1.95 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.15%. Northwest Natural’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 75.00%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, Janney Montgomery Scott assumed coverage on Northwest Natural in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $39.00 target price for the company. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and three have issued a hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $45.20.

About Northwest Natural

Northwest Natural Holding Company, through its subsidiary, Northwest Natural Gas Company, provides regulated natural gas distribution services to residential, commercial, and industrial customers in the United States. The company operates a mist gas storage facility contracted to other utilities, third-party marketers, and electric generators; offers natural gas asset management services; and operates an appliance retail center.