Excelerate Energy (NYSE:EE) Reaches New 52-Week High – Still a Buy?

Excelerate Energy, Inc. (NYSE:EE)’s share price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Monday . The company traded as high as $32.26 and last traded at $31.91, with a volume of 31391 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $31.63.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have weighed in on EE. Northland Securities lifted their price objective on Excelerate Energy from $29.00 to $37.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 18th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed an “underweight” rating and set a $31.00 price target (up previously from $22.00) on shares of Excelerate Energy in a research note on Tuesday. Stephens upped their price objective on shares of Excelerate Energy from $28.00 to $36.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 4th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of Excelerate Energy from $19.00 to $22.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 12th. Finally, Barclays increased their price target on Excelerate Energy from $22.00 to $26.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, October 21st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Excelerate Energy currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $28.71.

Excelerate Energy Trading Down 0.5 %

The company has a quick ratio of 4.12, a current ratio of 4.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $29.25 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $23.36. The company has a market capitalization of $3.13 billion, a PE ratio of 29.74, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 1.42.

Excelerate Energy (NYSE:EE) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, November 6th. The company reported $0.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.32 by $0.03. Excelerate Energy had a return on equity of 1.39% and a net margin of 3.14%. The firm had revenue of $193.42 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $194.09 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.40 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Excelerate Energy, Inc. will post 1.23 earnings per share for the current year.

Excelerate Energy Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 5th. Investors of record on Wednesday, November 20th were given a dividend of $0.06 per share. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, November 20th. This represents a $0.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.82%. This is a boost from Excelerate Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.03. Excelerate Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 24.24%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Excelerate Energy

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of EE. Quarry LP grew its stake in Excelerate Energy by 28.9% in the third quarter. Quarry LP now owns 1,822 shares of the company’s stock worth $40,000 after purchasing an additional 409 shares in the last quarter. Rhumbline Advisers increased its stake in shares of Excelerate Energy by 9.6% during the second quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 29,243 shares of the company’s stock valued at $539,000 after buying an additional 2,553 shares during the period. Susquehanna Fundamental Investments LLC lifted its holdings in Excelerate Energy by 5.2% during the second quarter. Susquehanna Fundamental Investments LLC now owns 58,203 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,073,000 after buying an additional 2,900 shares during the period. Verition Fund Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Excelerate Energy by 27.8% during the 3rd quarter. Verition Fund Management LLC now owns 17,724 shares of the company’s stock worth $390,000 after acquiring an additional 3,855 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Quantbot Technologies LP acquired a new position in Excelerate Energy during the 3rd quarter valued at about $94,000. Institutional investors own 21.79% of the company’s stock.

About Excelerate Energy

Excelerate Energy, Inc provides flexible liquefied natural gas (LNG) solutions worldwide. The company offers regasification services, including floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs), infrastructure development, and LNG and natural gas supply, procurement, and distribution services; LNG terminal services; and natural gas supply to-power projects.