MDU Resources Group, Inc. (NYSE:MDU) Shares Bought by Vanguard Group Inc.

Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of MDU Resources Group, Inc. (NYSE:MDU - Free Report) by 16.6% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 22,997,452 shares of the utilities provider's stock after buying an additional 3,276,114 shares during the quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. owned approximately 11.28% of MDU Resources Group worth $414,414,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Principal Securities Inc. increased its position in shares of MDU Resources Group by 164.4% during the fourth quarter. Principal Securities Inc. now owns 1,470 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 914 shares in the last quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of MDU Resources Group by 99.6% during the fourth quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC now owns 1,834 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 915 shares in the last quarter. Crews Bank & Trust acquired a new stake in shares of MDU Resources Group in the fourth quarter valued at about $39,000. Blue Trust Inc. lifted its stake in shares of MDU Resources Group by 19.4% in the fourth quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 3,505 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $63,000 after buying an additional 570 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Lee Danner & Bass Inc. purchased a new position in shares of MDU Resources Group in the fourth quarter worth about $77,000. 71.44% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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MDU Resources Group Stock Down 2.1 %

MDU Resources Group stock traded down $0.33 during trading on Monday, reaching $15.68. The stock had a trading volume of 2,735,605 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,522,939. MDU Resources Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $12.99 and a 52-week high of $20.39. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $16.92 and a 200 day moving average price of $19.97. The company has a quick ratio of 1.07, a current ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73. The stock has a market cap of $3.20 billion, a PE ratio of 11.36, a P/E/G ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 0.68.

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

MDU Resources Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, April 1st. Investors of record on Thursday, March 13th were paid a dividend of $0.13 per share. This represents a $0.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.32%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 13th. MDU Resources Group's payout ratio is 37.68%.

Insider Activity at MDU Resources Group

In other news, Director Dennis W. Johnson bought 30,000 shares of MDU Resources Group stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 10th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $16.64 per share, with a total value of $499,200.00. Following the acquisition, the director now owns 180,166 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,997,962.24. This trade represents a 19.98 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 1.00% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently commented on the company. Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on MDU Resources Group in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. They issued a "hold" rating and a $18.00 price target for the company. StockNews.com downgraded MDU Resources Group from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 20th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $21.00.

MDU Resources Group Profile

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.