UBS Group Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Spire (NYSE:SR) Stock

Spire (NYSE:SR) had its target price increased by investment analysts at UBS Group from $75.00 to $80.00 in a research note issued to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a “buy” rating on the utilities provider’s stock. UBS Group’s target price would suggest a potential upside of 14.70% from the company’s previous close.

SR has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Stifel Nicolaus increased their price target on Spire from $64.00 to $70.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 1st. Mizuho lifted their target price on Spire from $62.00 to $65.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on Spire from $70.00 to $76.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 25th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Spire from $73.00 to $75.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday. Finally, LADENBURG THALM/SH SH downgraded Spire from a “neutral” rating to a “sell” rating and lowered their price target for the company from $65.50 to $60.50 in a research report on Thursday, October 17th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $68.31.

Spire Stock Up 2.0 %

Shares of SR traded up $1.36 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $69.75. 70,546 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 413,485. Spire has a 1 year low of $56.36 and a 1 year high of $69.81. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.00 and a beta of 0.52. The company has a current ratio of 0.48, a quick ratio of 0.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.11. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $65.63 and its 200-day moving average is $63.71.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Spire

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in SR. Meeder Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Spire during the third quarter valued at about $25,000. International Assets Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Spire during the second quarter worth about $31,000. LRI Investments LLC acquired a new position in shares of Spire during the first quarter worth about $35,000. Larson Financial Group LLC boosted its holdings in Spire by 1,318.4% in the third quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 539 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 501 shares in the last quarter. Finally, EntryPoint Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Spire in the first quarter valued at approximately $47,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.36% of the company’s stock.

Spire Company Profile

Spire Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the purchase, retail distribution, and sale of natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial, and other end-users of natural gas in the United States. The company operates through three segments: Gas Utility, Gas Marketing, and Midstream. It is also involved in the marketing of natural gas and related services; and transportation and storage of natural gas.