Brokerages Set UGI Corporation (NYSE:UGI) Price Target at $44.50

Shares of UGI Corporation (NYSE:UGI) have earned a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the five analysts that are covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12-month price objective among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $44.50.

A number of analysts have commented on UGI shares. Mizuho boosted their price target on shares of UGI from $41.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of UGI from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Monday, January 26th. Finally, UBS Group reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of UGI in a report on Monday, December 15th.

Insider Buying and Selling at UGI

In related news, CAO Jean Felix Tematio sold 12,840 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $38.07, for a total transaction of $488,818.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 6,952 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $264,662.64. This trade represents a 64.87% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.57% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On UGI

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of UGI in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $33,000. Bare Financial Services Inc boosted its holdings in UGI by 103.8% during the third quarter. Bare Financial Services Inc now owns 1,345 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $45,000 after buying an additional 685 shares in the last quarter. Torren Management LLC bought a new stake in UGI during the fourth quarter worth approximately $65,000. Colonial Trust Co SC acquired a new position in UGI in the fourth quarter worth approximately $75,000. Finally, Horizon Investments LLC acquired a new position in UGI in the fourth quarter worth approximately $93,000. 82.34% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

UGI Trading Down 0.7%

NYSE:UGI opened at $36.43 on Wednesday. UGI has a 1 year low of $29.03 and a 1 year high of $41.34. The stock has a market cap of $7.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.44 and a beta of 1.08. The business has a fifty day moving average of $37.75 and a 200-day moving average of $36.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19, a quick ratio of 0.64 and a current ratio of 0.78.

UGI (NYSE:UGI) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The utilities provider reported $1.26 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.50 by ($0.24). The business had revenue of $2.08 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.49 billion. UGI had a net margin of 8.17% and a return on equity of 14.46%. UGI’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.37 earnings per share. Equities analysts predict that UGI will post 3.02 earnings per share for the current year.

UGI Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 16th will be paid a $0.375 dividend. This represents a $1.50 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 16th. UGI’s payout ratio is currently 55.35%.

About UGI

UGI Corporation (NYSE: UGI) is a publicly traded energy distribution company headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1882 as the United Gas Improvement Company, UGI has grown into a diversified provider of energy products and services. The company’s operations are organized into three primary segments—AmeriGas Propane, UGI Utilities and UGI International—each focused on the delivery of propane, natural gas and related services to residential, commercial and industrial customers.

AmeriGas Propane, UGI’s largest segment, is the leading retail propane distributor in the United States with a network of dealers serving customers in all 50 states.