West Tower Group LLC Grows Stake in Exelon Co. (NASDAQ:EXC)

West Tower Group LLC boosted its position in Exelon Co. (NASDAQ:EXC) by 71.4% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 12,000 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 5,000 shares during the period. Exelon comprises 1.0% of West Tower Group LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 28th biggest position. West Tower Group LLC’s holdings in Exelon were worth $452,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of EXC. Czech National Bank increased its position in Exelon by 7.0% during the fourth quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 217,868 shares of the company’s stock worth $8,201,000 after buying an additional 14,158 shares in the last quarter. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. increased its position in Exelon by 20.8% during the fourth quarter. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. now owns 1,624,805 shares of the company’s stock worth $61,158,000 after buying an additional 279,827 shares in the last quarter. HITE Hedge Asset Management LLC increased its position in Exelon by 431.3% during the third quarter. HITE Hedge Asset Management LLC now owns 395,840 shares of the company’s stock worth $16,051,000 after buying an additional 321,333 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its position in Exelon by 2.0% during the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 6,446,408 shares of the company’s stock worth $261,402,000 after buying an additional 123,466 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State Street Corp increased its position in Exelon by 3.7% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 60,169,219 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,439,862,000 after buying an additional 2,156,259 shares in the last quarter. 80.92% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Exelon Trading Up 0.1 %

Shares of EXC opened at $44.42 on Wednesday. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $41.59 and its two-hundred day moving average is $39.84. The stock has a market cap of $44.65 billion, a PE ratio of 18.13, a P/E/G ratio of 2.86 and a beta of 0.51. Exelon Co. has a 12 month low of $34.01 and a 12 month high of $45.20. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.61, a current ratio of 0.87 and a quick ratio of 0.78.

Exelon (NASDAQ:EXC) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 12th. The company reported $0.64 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.59 by $0.05. Exelon had a return on equity of 9.52% and a net margin of 10.68%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.60 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Exelon Co. will post 2.64 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Exelon Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 14th. Investors of record on Monday, February 24th were paid a $0.40 dividend. This is a boost from Exelon’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.38. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 24th. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.60%. Exelon’s payout ratio is 65.31%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have weighed in on EXC shares. Scotiabank raised their price target on Exelon from $42.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 13th. Evercore ISI raised Exelon from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $43.00 to $44.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 21st. Barclays lifted their price objective on Exelon from $42.00 to $48.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 25th. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Exelon in a research report on Tuesday, February 4th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on Exelon from $46.00 to $44.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, November 22nd. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $44.13.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Colette D. Honorable sold 1,463 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $40.57, for a total value of $59,353.91. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 2,271 shares in the company, valued at approximately $92,134.47. The trade was a 39.18 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Exelon 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.