Cambiar Investors LLC Sells 14,461 Shares of Atmos Energy Co. (NYSE:ATO)

Cambiar Investors LLC lessened its stake in Atmos Energy Co. (NYSE:ATO - Free Report) by 14.2% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 87,304 shares of the utilities provider's stock after selling 14,461 shares during the quarter. Cambiar Investors LLC owned about 0.06% of Atmos Energy worth $12,159,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Dunhill Financial LLC increased its position in Atmos Energy by 1,542.9% in the 3rd quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 230 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 216 shares in the last quarter. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. increased its position in Atmos Energy by 50.0% in the 4th quarter. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. now owns 300 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $42,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. PFS Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Atmos Energy in the 3rd quarter valued at about $69,000. Keystone Financial Group Inc. acquired a new stake in Atmos Energy in the 4th quarter valued at about $79,000. Finally, Slocum Gordon & Co LLP acquired a new stake in Atmos Energy in the 4th quarter valued at about $125,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.17% of the company's stock.

Atmos Energy Trading Down 0.9 %

Atmos Energy stock traded down $1.31 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $146.67. 745,597 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 901,840. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $141.20 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $139.01. Atmos Energy Co. has a 52 week low of $110.97 and a 52 week high of $152.65. The stock has a market capitalization of $23.28 billion, a PE ratio of 20.89, a P/E/G ratio of 2.81 and a beta of 0.72. The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 1.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66.

Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 4th. The utilities provider reported $2.23 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.20 by $0.03. Atmos Energy had a net margin of 25.90% and a return on equity of 8.89%. Equities research analysts anticipate that Atmos Energy Co. will post 7.18 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Atmos Energy Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 25th will be paid a $0.87 dividend. This represents a $3.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.37%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 25th. Atmos Energy's payout ratio is currently 49.57%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on shares of Atmos Energy from $145.00 to $143.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, November 22nd. Bank of America assumed coverage on shares of Atmos Energy in a research report on Friday, December 13th. They set a "buy" rating and a $156.00 price target for the company. Argus upgraded shares of Atmos Energy from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $150.00 price target for the company in a research report on Friday, December 20th. Mizuho lifted their price target on shares of Atmos Energy from $148.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 27th. Finally, StockNews.com cut shares of Atmos Energy from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 6th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $148.75.

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.