Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET) Shares Up 0.1% After Analyst Upgrade

Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET - Get Free Report) shares traded up 0.1% during trading on Tuesday after Morgan Stanley raised their price target on the stock from $20.00 to $26.00. Morgan Stanley currently has an overweight rating on the stock. Energy Transfer traded as high as $19.13 and last traded at $18.91. 2,978,205 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 79% from the average session volume of 14,513,480 shares. The stock had previously closed at $18.88.

Several other equities analysts have also weighed in on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price objective on shares of Energy Transfer from $17.00 to $20.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Thursday, December 19th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their target price on shares of Energy Transfer from $20.00 to $23.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, December 9th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on Energy Transfer from $21.00 to $23.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. Citigroup reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Energy Transfer in a report on Monday, March 24th. Finally, Barclays boosted their price target on Energy Transfer from $22.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, January 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Energy Transfer has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $22.09.

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Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Watts Gwilliam & Co. LLC acquired a new position in shares of Energy Transfer during the fourth quarter worth $1,297,000. CUSHING ASSET MANAGEMENT LP dba NXG INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT raised its position in shares of Energy Transfer by 4.0% in the 4th quarter. CUSHING ASSET MANAGEMENT LP dba NXG INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT now owns 7,586,598 shares of the pipeline company's stock worth $148,621,000 after acquiring an additional 293,088 shares in the last quarter. Forvis Mazars Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Energy Transfer by 164.1% during the 4th quarter. Forvis Mazars Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 60,566 shares of the pipeline company's stock valued at $1,186,000 after purchasing an additional 37,633 shares in the last quarter. Paragon Capital Management Ltd grew its stake in Energy Transfer by 435.5% during the fourth quarter. Paragon Capital Management Ltd now owns 68,724 shares of the pipeline company's stock worth $1,346,000 after purchasing an additional 55,890 shares during the period. Finally, FFG Partners LLC increased its holdings in Energy Transfer by 0.9% in the fourth quarter. FFG Partners LLC now owns 1,650,574 shares of the pipeline company's stock worth $32,335,000 after purchasing an additional 13,948 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 38.22% of the company's stock.

Energy Transfer Stock Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of $64.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.62, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 1.72. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $19.46 and a 200-day simple moving average of $18.37. The company has a quick ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 1.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.42.

Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 11th. The pipeline company reported $0.29 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.35 by ($0.06). Energy Transfer had a return on equity of 11.56% and a net margin of 5.74%. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Energy Transfer LP will post 1.46 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Energy Transfer Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Investors of record on Friday, February 7th were paid a dividend of $0.325 per share. This is an increase from Energy Transfer's previous quarterly dividend of $0.32. This represents a $1.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.95%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 7th. Energy Transfer's dividend payout ratio is 101.56%.

Energy Transfer Company Profile

Energy Transfer LP provides energy-related services. The company owns and operates natural gas transportation pipeline, and natural gas storage facilities in Texas and Oklahoma; and approximately 20,090 miles of interstate natural gas pipeline. It also sells natural gas to electric utilities, independent power plants, local distribution and other marketing companies, and industrial end-users.