Atmos Energy Co. (NYSE:ATO) receives a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from analysts

Shares of Atmos Energy Co. (NYSE:ATO – Get Free Report ) has been assigned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the six research firms that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $130.83.

Several research analysts recently commented on the company. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on Atmos Energy from $122.00 to $119.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, June 24th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on Atmos Energy from $132.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday. StockNews.com raised Atmos Energy from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, August 5th. Mizuho upped their target price on Atmos Energy from $133.00 to $138.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, May 13th. Finally, Barclays upped their target price on Atmos Energy from $121.00 to $129.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 14th.

Get the latest stock analysis on ATO

Insiders place their bets

In other Atmos Energy news, Director Diana J. Walters sold 400 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $118.00, for a total transaction of $47,200.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 3,551 shares in the company, valued at approximately $419,018. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available on the SEC’s website. Corporate insiders own 0.50% of the company’s shares.

Institutional inputs and outputs

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of ATO. Miller Howard Investments Inc. NY boosted its position in Atmos Energy by 0.3% in the second quarter. Miller Howard Investments Inc. NY now owns 30,179 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $3,520,000 after purchasing an additional 82 shares during the period. Wedbush Securities Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Atmos Energy by 3.9% during the 2nd quarter. Wedbush Securities Inc. now owns 2,328 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $272,000 after purchasing an additional 88 shares during the last quarter. TIAA Trust National Association boosted its holdings in Atmos Energy by 2.9% in the first quarter. TIAA Trust National Association now owns 3,612 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $429,000 after purchasing an additional 103 shares during the last quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Atmos Energy by 0.4% in the first quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. now owns 24,285 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $2,887,000 after purchasing an additional 105 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Thomasville National Bank raised its position in Atmos Energy by 0.9% in the first quarter. Thomasville National Bank now owns 12,767 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $1,518,000 after purchasing an additional 109 shares in the last quarter. 90.17% of the shares are currently held by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Atmos Energy trading up 0.9%

Shares of NYSE ATO opened at $128.05 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.36, a quick ratio of 1.22, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65. The company has a market cap of $19.32 billion, a PE ratio of 19.20, a P/E/G ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 0.67. The company has a 50 day moving average of $119.93 and a two hundred day moving average of $117.00. Atmos Energy has a 1 year low of $101.00 and a 1 year high of $132.24.

Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO – Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 7th. The utilities provider reported $1.08 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.05 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $701.55 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $924.75 million. Atmos Energy had a net margin of 24.65% and a return on equity of 9.01%. In the same period last year, the company earned $0.94 per share. As a group, equities analysts expect that Atmos Energy will post 6.77 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Atmos Energy announces dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 9th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 26th will be paid a dividend of $0.805 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 26. This represents an annualized dividend of $3.22 and a dividend yield of 2.51%. Atmos Energy’s payout ratio is 48.28%.

About Atmos Energy

(Get a free report

Atmos Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in regulated natural gas distribution, pipeline and storage businesses in the United States. It operates through two segments, distribution and pipelines and storage. The Distribution segment is involved in regulated natural gas distribution and related sales operations in eight states.

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