Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO) Upgraded at StockNews.com

StockNews.com upgraded shares of Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report released on Thursday morning.

Several other research analysts also recently weighed in on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on shares of Atmos Energy in a report on Wednesday, October 2nd. They issued a “hold” rating and a $155.00 target price for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Atmos Energy from $134.00 to $144.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 15th. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on Atmos Energy from $128.00 to $140.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 25th. Barclays upped their price target on Atmos Energy from $129.00 to $144.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, October 7th. Finally, 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 research report on Wednesday, October 2nd. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Atmos Energy currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $143.94.

Atmos Energy Trading Up 1.9 %

Shares of NYSE:ATO opened at $144.19 on Thursday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $138.29 and a 200 day moving average of $126.87. The company has a market cap of $22.38 billion, a PE ratio of 20.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.77 and a beta of 0.68. Atmos Energy has a 12-month low of $110.40 and a 12-month high of $145.27. The company has a current ratio of 1.73, a quick ratio of 1.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65.

Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 7th. The utilities provider reported $1.08 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.05 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $701.55 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $924.75 million. Atmos Energy had a net margin of 25.09% and a return on equity of 8.92%. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.94 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Atmos Energy will post 7.16 EPS for the current year.

Atmos Energy Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 9th. Investors of record on Monday, November 25th will be issued a $0.87 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, November 25th. This is a positive change from Atmos Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.81. This represents a $3.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.41%. Atmos Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 46.87%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Atmos Energy

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co raised its position in shares of Atmos Energy by 3.9% during the 1st quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co now owns 176,224 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $20,957,000 after buying an additional 6,641 shares in the last quarter. Jupiter Asset Management Ltd. purchased a new stake in Atmos Energy during the first quarter valued at approximately $1,876,000. Swedbank AB raised its position in Atmos Energy by 565.3% during the second quarter. Swedbank AB now owns 40,621 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $4,738,000 after purchasing an additional 34,515 shares during the period. M&G Plc bought a new stake in shares of Atmos Energy in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $32,941,000. Finally, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Atmos Energy by 3.6% in the 2nd quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. now owns 419,721 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $48,960,000 after purchasing an additional 14,440 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.17% of the company’s stock.

About Atmos Energy

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.