Scotiabank Issues Positive Forecast for Exelon (NASDAQ:EXC) Stock Price

Exelon (NASDAQ:EXC) had its price objective increased by Scotiabank from $42.00 to $44.00 in a research report released on Thursday morning,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a sector perform rating on the stock.

Other equities analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. Morgan Stanley cut their price target on shares of Exelon from $46.00 to $44.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, November 22nd. Evercore ISI upgraded Exelon from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and lifted their target price for the company from $43.00 to $44.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 21st. Barclays lowered their price target on Exelon from $44.00 to $42.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 22nd. Finally, Guggenheim raised Exelon from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 23rd. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $43.38.

Exelon Stock Up 0.2 %

EXC stock opened at $42.97 on Thursday. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $38.62 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $38.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.66, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a current ratio of 1.09. The stock has a market capitalization of $43.18 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.68, a PEG ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 0.56. Exelon has a one year low of $34.01 and a one year high of $43.45.

Exelon (NASDAQ:EXC) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 12th. The company reported $0.64 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.59 by $0.05. Exelon had a return on equity of 9.47% and a net margin of 10.60%. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.60 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Exelon will post 2.46 EPS for the current year.

Exelon Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 14th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 24th will be paid a dividend of $0.40 per share. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.72%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, February 24th. This is a positive change from Exelon’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.38. Exelon’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 62.55%.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Colette D. Honorable sold 1,463 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $40.57, for a total value of $59,353.91. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 2,271 shares in the company, valued at approximately $92,134.47. This represents a 39.18 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Exelon

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of EXC. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board increased its holdings in shares of Exelon by 3.5% in the 4th quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 2,400,110 shares of the company’s stock valued at $90,340,000 after acquiring an additional 81,652 shares during the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC increased its stake in Exelon by 25.7% during the fourth quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 39,067 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,470,000 after purchasing an additional 7,984 shares during the last quarter. Stenger Family Office LLC bought a new stake in Exelon during the fourth quarter valued at $1,413,000. Finward Bancorp acquired a new stake in shares of Exelon during the fourth quarter worth $363,000. Finally, United Capital Financial Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Exelon by 7.1% in the 4th quarter. United Capital Financial Advisors LLC now owns 22,447 shares of the company’s stock worth $845,000 after buying an additional 1,490 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.92% of the company’s stock.

Exelon Company Profile

Exelon Corporation, a utility services holding company, engages in the energy distribution and transmission businesses in the United States and Canada. The company is involved in the purchase and regulated retail sale of electricity and natural gas, transmission and distribution of electricity, and distribution of natural gas to retail customers.