Northwest & Ethical Investments L.P. Makes New Investment in Ameren Co. (NYSE:AEE)

Northwest & Ethical Investments L.P. purchased a new stake in Ameren Co. (NYSE:AEE) in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 96,439 shares of the utilities provider’s stock, valued at approximately $8,597,000.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. CWA Asset Management Group LLC grew its position in Ameren by 2.7% in the 4th quarter. CWA Asset Management Group LLC now owns 4,786 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $427,000 after purchasing an additional 125 shares during the period. Signaturefd LLC lifted its stake in shares of Ameren by 2.0% in the fourth quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 6,276 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $559,000 after buying an additional 125 shares in the last quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB grew its holdings in shares of Ameren by 16.3% during the fourth quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB now owns 980 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $87,000 after buying an additional 137 shares during the last quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC increased its position in shares of Ameren by 1.7% during the third quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC now owns 9,110 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $797,000 after acquiring an additional 153 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Avidian Wealth Enterprises LLC raised its holdings in shares of Ameren by 2.1% in the 4th quarter. Avidian Wealth Enterprises LLC now owns 7,665 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $683,000 after acquiring an additional 158 shares during the last quarter. 79.09% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Craig S. Ivey sold 2,716 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.27, for a total transaction of $266,901.32. Following the sale, the director now owns 14,495 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,424,423.65. This represents a 15.78 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Shawn E. Schukar sold 4,743 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $103.79, for a total value of $492,275.97. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 57,486 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,966,471.94. This represents a 7.62 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 12,959 shares of company stock valued at $1,316,712. Company insiders own 0.42% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts recently issued reports on AEE shares. Evercore ISI raised Ameren from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and lifted their target price for the company from $89.00 to $104.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 21st. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Ameren from $95.00 to $102.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 4th. BMO Capital Markets raised their price target on shares of Ameren from $100.00 to $105.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 18th. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on shares of Ameren from $97.00 to $101.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $94.10.

Ameren Price Performance

Shares of NYSE AEE opened at $100.01 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $26.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.97 and a beta of 0.48. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $96.71 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $91.34. The company has a current ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 0.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.41. Ameren Co. has a 1-year low of $69.39 and a 1-year high of $104.10.

Ameren (NYSE:AEE) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 13th. The utilities provider reported $0.77 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.83 by ($0.06). Ameren had a return on equity of 10.34% and a net margin of 15.51%. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.60 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that Ameren Co. will post 4.93 earnings per share for the current year.

Ameren Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 11th will be given a $0.71 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 11th. This represents a $2.84 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.84%. This is a positive change from Ameren’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.67. Ameren’s payout ratio is 64.25%.

Ameren Company Profile

Ameren Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a public utility holding company in the United States. The company operates through four segments: Ameren Missouri, Ameren Illinois Electric Distribution, Ameren Illinois Natural Gas, and Ameren Transmission. It engages in the rate-regulated electric generation, transmission, and distribution activities; and rate-regulated natural gas distribution business.