Birchcliff Energy (TSE:BIR) Shares Down 4% - Time to Sell?

Birchcliff Energy Ltd. (TSE:BIR - Get Free Report)'s stock price was down 4% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as C$5.54 and last traded at C$5.56. Approximately 248,454 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 69% from the average daily volume of 793,462 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$5.79.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. National Bankshares cut their price target on shares of Birchcliff Energy from C$6.50 to C$6.00 in a report on Friday, September 27th. CIBC boosted their price target on shares of Birchcliff Energy from C$5.75 to C$6.00 in a report on Friday. Scotiabank raised shares of Birchcliff Energy from a "sector perform" rating to an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday. Cormark raised shares of Birchcliff Energy to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Monday, September 23rd. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group lowered their price target on Birchcliff Energy from C$6.00 to C$5.75 in a report on Friday, November 15th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, two have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of C$6.48.

Birchcliff Energy Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 22.26, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a current ratio of 1.52. The company has a market capitalization of C$1.56 billion, a PE ratio of 36.19, a P/E/G ratio of 0.35 and a beta of 1.93. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of C$5.25 and a two-hundred day moving average price of C$5.61.

Birchcliff Energy Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 31st. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 31st were issued a $0.10 dividend. This represents a $0.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.91%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 13th. Birchcliff Energy's dividend payout ratio is presently 250.00%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Birchcliff Energy news, Senior Officer Hue Tran sold 31,400 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Friday, December 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$5.02, for a total transaction of C$157,628.00. Also, Director Aaron Jeffery Tonken sold 200,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of C$5.53, for a total transaction of C$1,106,000.00. Insiders sold 260,000 shares of company stock valued at $1,409,488 over the last quarter. Insiders own 1.55% of the company's stock.

About Birchcliff Energy

Birchcliff Energy Ltd is an intermediate oil and gas company that explores for, develops, and produces natural gas, light oil, and natural gas liquids. The company conducts its drilling program in resource plays located in the Peace River Arch region of Alberta. Birchcliff focuses on operating nearly all its high working production, which is surrounded by blocks of high working interest lands where it owns and/or controls the infrastructure.