Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET) Stock Price Down 0.1%

Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET)’s stock price traded down 0.1% on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $15.76 and last traded at $15.86. 3,295,852 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 73% from the average session volume of 12,306,559 shares. The stock had previously closed at $15.87.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have commented on ET. Mizuho reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $19.00 price objective (up from $18.00) on shares of Energy Transfer in a research report on Thursday, April 18th. UBS Group reduced their price objective on shares of Energy Transfer from $23.00 to $22.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, February 15th. Finally, Citigroup lifted their price objective on shares of Energy Transfer from $17.00 to $18.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 21st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Energy Transfer has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $18.00.

Energy Transfer Stock Up 0.1 %

The company has a quick ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.37. The company has a market cap of $53.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.64 and a beta of 1.64. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $15.36 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $14.33.

Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 14th. The pipeline company reported $0.37 earnings per share 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 during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $21.46 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.34 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Energy Transfer LP will post 1.57 EPS for the current year.

Energy Transfer Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 20th. Investors of record on Monday, May 13th will be paid a $0.317 dividend. This represents a $1.27 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.95%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 10th. This is an increase from Energy Transfer’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.32. Energy Transfer’s payout ratio is 115.60%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Mutual Advisors LLC grew its position in Energy Transfer by 112.9% in the fourth quarter. Mutual Advisors LLC now owns 146,943 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $2,028,000 after acquiring an additional 77,938 shares during the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. grew its position in Energy Transfer by 230.9% in the third quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 736,634 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $10,335,000 after acquiring an additional 513,989 shares during the last quarter. Arkadios Wealth Advisors grew its position in Energy Transfer by 3.3% in the fourth quarter. Arkadios Wealth Advisors now owns 28,250 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $390,000 after acquiring an additional 903 shares during the last quarter. Fractal Investments LLC grew its position in Energy Transfer by 12.9% in the third quarter. Fractal Investments LLC now owns 5,682,061 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $79,719,000 after acquiring an additional 647,885 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cutter & CO Brokerage Inc. grew its position in Energy Transfer by 22.5% in the third quarter. Cutter & CO Brokerage Inc. now owns 421,372 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $5,912,000 after acquiring an additional 77,352 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 38.22% of the company’s stock.

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.