Level Four Advisory Services LLC Decreases Stake in ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP)

Level Four Advisory Services LLC decreased its position in ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) by 2.7% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 70,537 shares of the energy producer’s stock after selling 1,971 shares during the quarter. Level Four Advisory Services LLC’s holdings in ConocoPhillips were worth $6,995,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P raised its position in shares of ConocoPhillips by 6.6% during the 3rd quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 1,953 shares of the energy producer’s stock valued at $206,000 after buying an additional 121 shares in the last quarter. Truvestments Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of ConocoPhillips in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Townsquare Capital LLC boosted its stake in ConocoPhillips by 8.6% during the third quarter. Townsquare Capital LLC now owns 70,499 shares of the energy producer’s stock worth $7,422,000 after buying an additional 5,607 shares during the period. Freedom Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of ConocoPhillips by 18.8% during the 3rd quarter. Freedom Investment Management Inc. now owns 9,418 shares of the energy producer’s stock worth $992,000 after purchasing an additional 1,492 shares during the period. Finally, Bridgewater Associates LP boosted its position in shares of ConocoPhillips by 58.9% during the third quarter. Bridgewater Associates LP now owns 3,079 shares of the energy producer’s stock valued at $324,000 after buying an additional 1,141 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 82.36% of the company’s stock.

ConocoPhillips Trading Down 0.3 %

NYSE COP opened at $102.86 on Friday. ConocoPhillips has a 12-month low of $86.81 and a 12-month high of $135.18. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $99.02 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $103.30. The company has a current ratio of 1.29, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. The stock has a market cap of $130.87 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.20, a P/E/G ratio of 0.79 and a beta of 1.12.

ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 6th. The energy producer reported $1.98 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.78 by $0.20. ConocoPhillips had a return on equity of 17.26% and a net margin of 16.23%. On average, analysts forecast that ConocoPhillips will post 8.16 earnings per share for the current year.

ConocoPhillips Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 3rd. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 17th were given a dividend of $0.78 per share. This represents a $3.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.03%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 14th. ConocoPhillips’s dividend payout ratio is presently 40.05%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on COP shares. Raymond James lowered ConocoPhillips from a “strong-buy” rating to an “outperform” rating and decreased their price target for the stock from $157.00 to $124.00 in a research note on Monday, February 10th. TD Cowen initiated coverage on shares of ConocoPhillips in a report on Friday, January 17th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $125.00 price target on the stock. Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on shares of ConocoPhillips from $131.00 to $126.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on shares of ConocoPhillips from $127.00 to $115.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, March 13th. Finally, Mizuho raised ConocoPhillips from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $132.00 to $134.00 in a research note on Monday, December 16th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $132.95.

About ConocoPhillips

ConocoPhillips explores for, produces, transports, and markets crude oil, bitumen, natural gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and natural gas liquids in the United States, Canada, China, Libya, Malaysia, Norway, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company's portfolio includes unconventional plays in North America; conventional assets in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia; global LNG developments; oil sands assets in Canada; and an inventory of global exploration prospects.