Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras (NYSE:PBR) Sets New 12-Month High – Time to Buy?

Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras (NYSE:PBR)’s stock price reached a new 52-week high on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $20.28 and last traded at $20.2550, with a volume of 5803750 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $19.82.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras in a research note on Monday, December 29th. UBS Group raised their price target on shares of Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras from $14.40 to $14.60 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Sunday. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their target price on shares of Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras from $13.10 to $15.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group lowered shares of Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and reduced their target price for the stock from $20.30 to $19.00 in a research report on Friday, March 13th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $16.20.

Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras Price Performance

The firm has a fifty day moving average of $16.28 and a two-hundred day moving average of $13.68. The stock has a market capitalization of $132.27 billion, a P/E ratio of 6.76, a P/E/G ratio of 0.20 and a beta of 0.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 0.71 and a quick ratio of 0.48.

Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a special dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, May 28th. Stockholders of record on Friday, April 24th will be paid a dividend of $0.1191 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, April 24th. Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 13.16%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras in the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Clearstead Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras by 273.4% during the 4th quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 2,330 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 1,706 shares during the last quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. boosted its position in Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras by 74.9% during the second quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 2,438 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 1,044 shares in the last quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd bought a new stake in Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras during the fourth quarter valued at about $39,000. Finally, BNP Paribas grew its stake in Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras by 241.9% in the third quarter. BNP Paribas now owns 4,240 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock valued at $54,000 after purchasing an additional 3,000 shares during the last quarter.

About Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras

Petróleo Brasileiro SA – Petrobras is a Brazilian, state-controlled integrated oil and gas company headquartered in Rio de Janeiro. Founded in 1953, Petrobras is principally engaged in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas, and operates across the full value chain from upstream activities through refining, transportation and downstream marketing of petroleum products. The company is a major player in Brazil’s energy sector and is a listed public company with global capital market presence.

Petrobras’s core activities include deepwater and ultra-deepwater exploration and production, where it has been a pioneer in developing pre-salt reserves off Brazil’s coast.