Ameren (NYSE:AEE) Price Target Cut to $101.00 by Analysts at Barclays

Ameren (NYSE:AEE - Free Report) had its price target reduced by Barclays from $102.00 to $101.00 in a report published on Tuesday morning,Benzinga reports. Barclays currently has an equal weight rating on the utilities provider's stock.

A number of other research analysts have also weighed in on the company. UBS Group boosted their target price on Ameren from $106.00 to $113.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, March 21st. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on shares of Ameren from $97.00 to $101.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, March 20th. BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on shares of Ameren from $100.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 18th. Finally, Evercore ISI raised shares of Ameren from an "in-line" rating to an "outperform" rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $89.00 to $104.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 21st. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Ameren presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $99.22.

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Ameren Stock Up 0.7 %

Shares of NYSE:AEE traded up $0.72 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $97.44. 1,321,307 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,574,852. The firm has a market cap of $26.30 billion, a PE ratio of 22.05, a P/E/G ratio of 2.97 and a beta of 0.45. Ameren has a fifty-two week low of $69.39 and a fifty-two week high of $104.10. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $98.40 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $93.02. The company has a quick ratio of 0.44, a current ratio of 0.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.41.

Ameren (NYSE:AEE - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 13th. The utilities provider reported $0.77 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.83 by ($0.06). Ameren had a return on equity of 10.34% and a net margin of 15.51%. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.60 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Ameren will post 4.93 earnings per share for the current year.

Ameren Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 11th were issued a $0.71 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, March 11th. This is a boost from Ameren's previous quarterly dividend of $0.67. This represents a $2.84 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.91%. Ameren's dividend payout ratio is presently 64.25%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director Craig S. Ivey sold 2,716 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.27, for a total value of $266,901.32. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 14,495 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,424,423.65. The trade was a 15.78 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, insider Shawn E. Schukar sold 4,743 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $103.79, for a total value of $492,275.97. Following the sale, the insider now owns 57,486 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,966,471.94. The trade was a 7.62 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 12,959 shares of company stock worth $1,316,712. 0.34% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ameren

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in AEE. Synergy Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in Ameren during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Roxbury Financial LLC bought a new stake in shares of Ameren during the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Quarry LP acquired a new stake in shares of Ameren in the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. Lee Danner & Bass Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Ameren in the 4th quarter worth about $38,000. Finally, Optiver Holding B.V. lifted its position in Ameren by 78.7% in the 4th quarter. Optiver Holding B.V. now owns 470 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $42,000 after acquiring an additional 207 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 79.09% of the company's stock.

About Ameren

Ameren Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a public utility holding company in the United States. The company operates through four segments: Ameren Missouri, Ameren Illinois Electric Distribution, Ameren Illinois Natural Gas, and Ameren Transmission. It engages in the rate-regulated electric generation, transmission, and distribution activities; and rate-regulated natural gas distribution business.