USA Financial Formulas Takes Position in Atmos Energy Co. (NYSE:ATO)

USA Financial Formulas bought a new stake in Atmos Energy Co. (NYSE:ATO) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm bought 8,255 shares of the utilities provider’s stock, valued at approximately $1,150,000.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its holdings in Atmos Energy by 10.8% in the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 13,745,352 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $1,906,618,000 after acquiring an additional 1,341,640 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Atmos Energy by 3.5% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 10,800,610 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $1,498,153,000 after purchasing an additional 362,594 shares in the last quarter. Benjamin Edwards Inc. grew its position in Atmos Energy by 2,212.0% in the 3rd quarter. Benjamin Edwards Inc. now owns 291,572 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $40,446,000 after purchasing an additional 278,961 shares during the period. Jennison Associates LLC bought a new stake in Atmos Energy during the 3rd quarter valued at $32,221,000. Finally, Renaissance Technologies LLC increased its stake in Atmos Energy by 1,532.1% during the 2nd quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 218,700 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $25,511,000 after purchasing an additional 205,300 shares in the last quarter. 90.17% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling at Atmos Energy

In other news, Director Edward Geiser acquired 2,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 11th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $144.89 per share, for a total transaction of $362,225.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 2,602 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $377,003.78. The trade was a 2,450.98 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Insiders own 0.48% of the company’s stock.

Atmos Energy Trading Up 0.4 %

NYSE:ATO opened at $141.23 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $21.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.56, a P/E/G ratio of 2.81 and a beta of 0.71. Atmos Energy Co. has a 1 year low of $110.46 and a 1 year high of $152.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 0.94 and a quick ratio of 0.80. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $142.71 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $135.59.

Atmos Energy Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 9th. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 25th were paid a $0.87 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 25th. This represents a $3.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.46%. This is an increase from Atmos Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.81. Atmos Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 50.66%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on ATO shares. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH lifted their price objective on shares of Atmos Energy from $144.00 to $150.50 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 2nd. Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on shares of Atmos Energy in a research note on Wednesday, October 2nd. They issued a “hold” rating and a $155.00 price objective for the company. Argus upgraded Atmos Energy from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $150.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 20th. StockNews.com raised Atmos Energy from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 7th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on Atmos Energy from $145.00 to $156.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Atmos Energy has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $148.75.

Atmos Energy Company Profile

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