Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET) Shares Up 0.8% - Should You Buy?

Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET - Get Free Report) shares traded up 0.8% during trading on Monday . The company traded as high as $20.09 and last traded at $19.98. 10,422,402 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 41% from the average session volume of 17,631,726 shares. The stock had previously closed at $19.82.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts recently commented on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price objective on Energy Transfer from $17.00 to $20.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Thursday, December 19th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on Energy Transfer from $20.00 to $21.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 18th. Barclays increased their price objective on Energy Transfer from $22.00 to $25.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Monday, January 13th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on Energy Transfer from $20.00 to $23.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, December 9th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on Energy Transfer from $21.00 to $23.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 12th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $21.18.

Energy Transfer Trading Down 2.7 %

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

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

Energy Transfer Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 7th were paid a dividend of $0.325 per share. This represents a $1.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.70%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 7th. This is a positive change from Energy Transfer's previous quarterly dividend of $0.32. Energy Transfer's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 101.56%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Energy Transfer

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of ET. Empowered Funds LLC grew its position in shares of Energy Transfer by 15.0% in the 3rd quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 346,825 shares of the pipeline company's stock worth $5,567,000 after acquiring an additional 45,172 shares in the last quarter. Watts Gwilliam & Co. LLC acquired a new position in shares of Energy Transfer in the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,297,000. CUSHING ASSET MANAGEMENT LP dba NXG INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT grew 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. Kingsview Wealth Management LLC grew its position in shares of Energy Transfer by 30.9% in the 3rd quarter. Kingsview Wealth Management LLC now owns 242,042 shares of the pipeline company's stock worth $3,885,000 after acquiring an additional 57,184 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Paragon Capital Management Ltd grew its position in shares of Energy Transfer by 435.5% in the 4th quarter. Paragon Capital Management Ltd now owns 68,724 shares of the pipeline company's stock worth $1,346,000 after acquiring an additional 55,890 shares in 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.