Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET) Trading Down 0.5% – Time to Sell?

Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET)’s stock price was down 0.5% during trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as $19.88 and last traded at $19.94. Approximately 3,789,766 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 72% from the average daily volume of 13,625,506 shares. The stock had previously closed at $20.04.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

ET has been the topic of several recent research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price 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. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on Energy Transfer from $20.00 to $21.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 18th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on Energy Transfer from $20.00 to $23.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, December 9th. Barclays upped their price target on Energy Transfer from $22.00 to $25.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday. Finally, UBS Group lifted their price objective on Energy Transfer from $22.00 to $23.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 18th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $20.82.

Energy Transfer Price Performance

The stock has a fifty day moving average of $18.85 and a 200-day moving average of $17.12. The company has a quick ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 1.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.40. The firm has a market capitalization of $69.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.84, a PEG ratio of 0.57 and a beta of 1.70.

Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 6th. The pipeline company reported $0.32 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.32. Energy Transfer had a net margin of 5.90% and a return on equity of 12.38%. The business had revenue of $20.77 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $21.59 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.31 earnings per share. Energy Transfer’s revenue was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts predict that Energy Transfer LP will post 1.34 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Energy Transfer Cuts Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, November 19th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 8th were given a dividend of $0.3225 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 8th. This represents a $1.29 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.38%. Energy Transfer’s payout ratio is currently 94.85%.

Institutional Trading of Energy Transfer

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ET. FLC Capital Advisors grew its holdings in Energy Transfer by 46.2% during the 4th quarter. FLC Capital Advisors now owns 19,000 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $372,000 after acquiring an additional 6,000 shares during the period. M.E. Allison & CO. Inc. bought a new stake in Energy Transfer in the fourth quarter valued at about $298,000. Financial Freedom LLC lifted its stake in Energy Transfer by 26.8% in the fourth quarter. Financial Freedom LLC now owns 2,906 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $57,000 after buying an additional 614 shares during the period. Diversify Advisory Services LLC increased its stake in shares of Energy Transfer by 1.2% in the 4th quarter. Diversify Advisory Services LLC now owns 917,815 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $17,824,000 after acquiring an additional 11,026 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ellsworth Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Energy Transfer by 9.5% during the fourth quarter. Ellsworth Advisors LLC now owns 108,954 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $2,134,000 after purchasing an additional 9,422 shares in the last quarter. 38.22% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Energy Transfer Company Profile

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.