Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET) Stock Price Down 0.1% – Should You Sell?

Shares of Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET) were down 0.1% on Thursday . The company traded as low as $18.98 and last traded at $19.14. Approximately 3,774,060 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 78% from the average daily volume of 16,828,857 shares. The stock had previously closed at $19.16.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on ET. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Energy Transfer from $20.00 to $21.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 18th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price target on shares of Energy Transfer from $21.00 to $23.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Energy Transfer from $20.00 to $23.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, December 9th. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of Energy Transfer from $22.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, January 13th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upped their target price on shares of Energy Transfer from $17.00 to $20.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, December 19th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Energy Transfer currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $21.55.

Energy Transfer Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.42, a current ratio of 1.12 and a quick ratio of 0.88. The stock has a market cap of $65.00 billion, a PE ratio of 14.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 1.69. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $19.90 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $17.98.

Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 11th. The pipeline company reported $0.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.35 by ($0.06). Energy Transfer had a net margin of 5.74% and a return on equity of 11.56%. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Energy Transfer LP will post 1.46 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Energy Transfer Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 7th were paid a $0.325 dividend. This represents a $1.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.86%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 7th. This is a boost from Energy Transfer’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.32. Energy Transfer’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 101.56%.

Institutional Trading of Energy Transfer

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Bank of Montreal Can boosted its position in shares of Energy Transfer by 12,090.8% in the 4th quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 12,455,613 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $244,005,000 after purchasing an additional 12,353,441 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC boosted its holdings in Energy Transfer by 44.0% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 33,379,297 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $535,738,000 after acquiring an additional 10,195,768 shares in the last quarter. Zurich Insurance Group Ltd FI purchased a new stake in shares of Energy Transfer in the fourth quarter worth $79,113,000. BNP Paribas Financial Markets increased its holdings in shares of Energy Transfer by 36.7% during the third quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 11,563,478 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $185,594,000 after acquiring an additional 3,106,631 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Citigroup Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Energy Transfer by 45.9% during the third quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 9,581,762 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $153,787,000 after acquiring an additional 3,013,973 shares in the last quarter. 38.22% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.