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

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

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the company. Barclays boosted their target price on Energy Transfer from $22.00 to $25.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, January 13th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on Energy Transfer from $20.00 to $21.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 18th. Citigroup raised their target price on shares of Energy Transfer from $20.00 to $22.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on shares of Energy Transfer from $21.00 to $23.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on shares of Energy Transfer from $17.00 to $20.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 19th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $21.55.

Energy Transfer Stock Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of $65.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.80, a P/E/G ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 1.69. The company has a quick ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 1.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.42. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $19.90 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $17.98.

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

Energy Transfer Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 7th were given a dividend of $0.325 per share. This represents a $1.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.86%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 7th. This is an increase from Energy Transfer’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.32. Energy Transfer’s payout ratio is 101.56%.

Institutional Trading of Energy Transfer

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. FMR LLC lifted its holdings in Energy Transfer by 15.7% during the 4th quarter. FMR LLC now owns 38,634,018 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $756,840,000 after purchasing an additional 5,254,721 shares during the last quarter. Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors LP raised its holdings in Energy Transfer by 7.7% in the 4th quarter. Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors LP now owns 23,987,750 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $469,920,000 after acquiring an additional 1,723,683 shares during the period. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. lifted its position in Energy Transfer by 5.9% during the fourth quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 19,776,221 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $387,416,000 after acquiring an additional 1,093,381 shares during the last quarter. Westwood Holdings Group Inc. lifted its position in Energy Transfer by 18.2% during the fourth quarter. Westwood Holdings Group Inc. now owns 16,331,220 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $319,929,000 after acquiring an additional 2,512,060 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Chickasaw Capital Management LLC grew its position in shares of Energy Transfer by 2.5% in the fourth quarter. Chickasaw Capital Management LLC now owns 15,738,594 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $308,319,000 after purchasing an additional 388,073 shares during the last quarter. 38.22% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.