Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET) Shares Up 1.9% - Time to Buy?

Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET - Get Free Report)'s stock price rose 1.9% on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $20.42 and last traded at $20.37. Approximately 4,548,655 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 73% from the average daily volume of 16,682,686 shares. The stock had previously closed at $19.99.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

ET has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on shares of Energy Transfer from $17.00 to $20.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Thursday, December 19th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on shares of Energy Transfer from $20.00 to $21.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 18th. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Energy Transfer from $22.00 to $25.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, January 13th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their target price on Energy Transfer from $21.00 to $23.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on Energy Transfer from $20.00 to $23.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, December 9th. One investment 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, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $21.18.

Energy Transfer Stock Down 2.7 %

The firm has a market cap of $66.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.15, a P/E/G ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 1.69. The company has a current ratio of 1.12, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.42. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $19.86 and a 200-day moving average price of $17.87.

Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 11th. The pipeline company reported $0.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.35 by ($0.06). Energy Transfer had a return on equity of 11.56% and a net margin of 5.74%. On average, equities analysts forecast that Energy Transfer LP will post 1.46 EPS for the current year.

Energy Transfer Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Investors of record on Friday, February 7th were paid a $0.325 dividend. This is an increase from Energy Transfer's previous quarterly dividend of $0.32. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 7th. This represents a $1.30 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.70%. Energy Transfer's payout ratio is presently 101.56%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ET. Bank of Montreal Can raised its stake in Energy Transfer by 12,090.8% in the 4th quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 12,455,613 shares of the pipeline company's stock valued at $244,005,000 after purchasing an additional 12,353,441 shares during the last quarter. FMR LLC raised its stake in Energy Transfer by 44.0% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 33,379,297 shares of the pipeline company's stock valued at $535,738,000 after purchasing an additional 10,195,768 shares during the last quarter. Zurich Insurance Group Ltd FI acquired a new position in Energy Transfer in the 4th quarter valued at about $79,113,000. International Assets Investment Management LLC raised its stake in Energy Transfer by 1,491.0% in the 3rd quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 4,175,731 shares of the pipeline company's stock valued at $67,020,000 after purchasing an additional 3,913,266 shares during the last quarter. Finally, BNP Paribas Financial Markets raised its stake in Energy Transfer by 36.7% in the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 11,563,478 shares of the pipeline company's stock valued at $185,594,000 after purchasing an additional 3,106,631 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 38.22% of the company's stock.

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.