Geode Capital Management LLC Sells 205,749 Shares of MDU Resources Group, Inc. (NYSE:MDU)

Geode Capital Management LLC trimmed its position in shares of MDU Resources Group, Inc. (NYSE:MDU - Free Report) by 5.5% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 3,513,794 shares of the utilities provider's stock after selling 205,749 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC owned 1.72% of MDU Resources Group worth $63,338,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Diametric Capital LP bought a new stake in shares of MDU Resources Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $200,000. Kestrel Investment Management Corp bought a new position in shares of MDU Resources Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $5,844,000. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of MDU Resources Group by 42.2% during the 4th quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC now owns 10,552 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $190,000 after acquiring an additional 3,133 shares during the last quarter. Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC raised its stake in MDU Resources Group by 300.1% in the 4th quarter. Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC now owns 691,993 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $12,470,000 after acquiring an additional 519,029 shares during the period. Finally, Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in MDU Resources Group during the 4th quarter valued at $81,000. 71.44% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

MDU Resources Group Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:MDU traded up $0.12 on Tuesday, reaching $16.79. 909,172 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,514,271. The company has a current ratio of 1.15, a quick ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73. MDU Resources Group, Inc. has a twelve month low of $12.99 and a twelve month high of $20.39. The company has a fifty day moving average of $16.69 and a 200-day moving average of $19.45. The company has a market capitalization of $3.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.16, a PEG ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 0.68.

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MDU Resources Group (NYSE:MDU - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 6th. The utilities provider reported $0.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.31 by $0.03. MDU Resources Group had a return on equity of 10.20% and a net margin of 7.31%. On average, research analysts predict that MDU Resources Group, Inc. will post 0.94 EPS for the current fiscal year.

MDU Resources Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, April 1st. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 13th were issued a dividend of $0.13 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, March 13th. This represents a $0.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.10%. MDU Resources Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 37.68%.

Insider Activity

In other MDU Resources Group news, Director Dennis W. Johnson bought 30,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 10th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $16.64 per share, for a total transaction of $499,200.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 180,166 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,997,962.24. This represents a 19.98 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 1.00% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on MDU shares. StockNews.com cut shares of MDU Resources Group from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 20th. Jefferies Financial Group began coverage on MDU Resources Group in a research note on Wednesday, January 8th. They set a "hold" rating and a $18.00 target price on the stock. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $21.00.

About MDU Resources Group

MDU Resources Group, Inc engages in the regulated energy delivery, and construction materials and services businesses in the United States. It operates through four segments: Electric, Natural Gas Distribution, Pipeline, and Construction Services. The Electric segment generates, transmits, and distributes electricity for residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming; and operates 3,400 miles of transmission lines, 4,800 miles of distribution lines, and 82 transmission and 298 distribution substations.