NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. (NYSE:NWE) Given Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts

NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. (NYSE:NWE) has received an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the seven ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and five have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price target among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $59.25.

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Guggenheim upgraded NorthWestern Energy Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 23rd. Barclays dropped their price objective on shares of NorthWestern Energy Group from $57.00 to $56.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 19th. Finally, LADENBURG THALM/SH SH upgraded shares of NorthWestern Energy Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $57.50 target price for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 15th.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Britt E. Ide sold 702 shares of NorthWestern Energy Group stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $54.32, for a total value of $38,132.64. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 11,021 shares in the company, valued at approximately $598,660.72. This trade represents a 5.99 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 0.94% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Meritage Portfolio Management raised its position in shares of NorthWestern Energy Group by 1,218.2% during the 3rd quarter. Meritage Portfolio Management now owns 60,954 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,488,000 after acquiring an additional 56,330 shares in the last quarter. XTX Topco Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of NorthWestern Energy Group during the third quarter worth $631,000. Systematic Financial Management LP lifted its position in shares of NorthWestern Energy Group by 11.8% in the 3rd quarter. Systematic Financial Management LP now owns 1,070,434 shares of the company’s stock worth $61,250,000 after buying an additional 113,265 shares during the last quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. bought a new stake in shares of NorthWestern Energy Group during the 4th quarter valued at about $401,000. Finally, Intech Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in NorthWestern Energy Group during the third quarter worth about $703,000. Institutional investors own 96.07% of the company’s stock.

NorthWestern Energy Group Stock Up 0.6 %

Shares of NYSE NWE opened at $56.10 on Monday. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $53.98 and a 200 day moving average price of $54.40. The company has a current ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 0.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.94. NorthWestern Energy Group has a 12-month low of $47.48 and a 12-month high of $57.49. The company has a market cap of $3.44 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.37, a P/E/G ratio of 2.40 and a beta of 0.45.

NorthWestern Energy Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 14th will be given a dividend of $0.66 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 14th. This represents a $2.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.71%. This is an increase from NorthWestern Energy Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.65. NorthWestern Energy Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 72.33%.

NorthWestern Energy Group Company Profile

NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc provides electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, and various industrial customers. It generates, purchases, transmits, and distributes electricity; and produces, purchases, stores, transmits, and distributes natural gas, as well as owns municipal franchises to provide natural gas service in the communities.