MDU Resources Group (NYSE:MDU) Lowered to “Hold” at StockNews.com

MDU Resources Group (NYSE:MDU) was downgraded by StockNews.com from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report issued on Thursday.

Separately, Argus raised MDU Resources Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $30.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Monday, May 20th.

MDU Resources Group Trading Up 0.6 %

NYSE MDU traded up $0.16 on Thursday, hitting $24.95. 490,627 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,272,489. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $25.07 and its 200-day moving average price is $22.76. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.09 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.66, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.67 and a beta of 0.77. MDU Resources Group has a twelve month low of $18.04 and a twelve month high of $25.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 1.43 and a quick ratio of 1.37.

MDU Resources Group (NYSE:MDU) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 2nd. The utilities provider reported $0.52 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.47 by $0.05. MDU Resources Group had a return on equity of 11.42% and a net margin of 10.74%. The business had revenue of $1.21 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.33 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.23 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 15.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that MDU Resources Group will post 1.55 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other MDU Resources Group news, insider Rob L. Johnson purchased 36,291 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 7th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $25.46 per share, with a total value of $923,968.86. Following the completion of the acquisition, the insider now directly owns 41,934 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,067,639.64. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.59% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On MDU Resources Group

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Advisors Asset Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of MDU Resources Group by 12.3% during the third quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. now owns 82,141 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $1,608,000 after buying an additional 8,994 shares during the last quarter. Graham Capital Management L.P. acquired a new position in MDU Resources Group in the third quarter valued at about $958,000. Aurora Investment Counsel increased its stake in MDU Resources Group by 5.1% in the third quarter. Aurora Investment Counsel now owns 69,794 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $1,367,000 after purchasing an additional 3,360 shares in the last quarter. Neo Ivy Capital Management acquired a new stake in MDU Resources Group in the third quarter worth $182,000. Finally, American Century Companies Inc. boosted its position in shares of MDU Resources Group by 986.4% during the third quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 532,361 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $10,424,000 after purchasing an additional 483,358 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 71.44% of the company’s stock.

MDU Resources Group Company Profile

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.