Baytex Energy Corp. (TSE:BTE) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Shares of Baytex Energy Corp. (TSE:BTE) (NYSE:BTE) have been assigned a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the eleven brokerages that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and seven have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is C$6.40.

Several research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. ATB Capital reduced their price target on shares of Baytex Energy from C$6.50 to C$6.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, February 29th. National Bankshares lowered their price target on Baytex Energy from C$8.25 to C$7.25 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, January 10th. BMO Capital Markets set a C$6.00 price objective on Baytex Energy and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 9th. TD Securities decreased their price objective on Baytex Energy from C$6.50 to C$6.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, February 29th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada dropped their target price on shares of Baytex Energy from C$8.00 to C$7.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, February 29th.

Baytex Energy Price Performance

Baytex Energy stock opened at C$4.98 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 63.80, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.77. The stock has a market capitalization of C$4.09 billion, a PE ratio of -15.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.12 and a beta of 2.78. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of C$4.70 and a 200-day simple moving average of C$4.86. Baytex Energy has a 12 month low of C$3.83 and a 12 month high of C$6.37.

Baytex Energy (TSE:BTE) (NYSE:BTE) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 28th. The company reported C$0.25 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of C$0.13 by C$0.12. The company had revenue of C$1.07 billion during the quarter. Baytex Energy had a negative net margin of 8.60% and a negative return on equity of 6.81%. On average, analysts anticipate that Baytex Energy will post 0.7398601 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Baytex Energy Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, April 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 15th were issued a dividend of $0.023 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, March 14th. This represents a $0.09 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.85%. Baytex Energy’s dividend payout ratio is currently -27.27%.

Insider Activity at Baytex Energy

In other Baytex Energy news, Senior Officer Eric Thomas Greager bought 20,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 6th. The stock was bought at an average price of C$4.25 per share, with a total value of C$85,000.00. In other news, Director Tiffany Thom Cepak sold 40,000 shares of Baytex Energy stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$3.55, for a total value of C$142,000.00. Also, Senior Officer Eric Thomas Greager bought 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 6th. The shares were purchased at an average price of C$4.25 per share, with a total value of C$85,000.00. 0.73% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

About Baytex Energy

Baytex Energy Corp., an energy company, engages in the acquisition, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin and in the Eagle Ford, the United States. The company offers light oil and condensate, heavy oil, natural gas liquids, and natural gas.