UGI (NYSE:UGI) Sets New 1-Year High - Still a Buy?

UGI Co. (NYSE:UGI - Get Free Report)'s stock price reached a new 52-week high on Monday . The stock traded as high as $31.13 and last traded at $31.04, with a volume of 276381 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $30.73.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have weighed in on UGI shares. Mizuho raised shares of UGI from a "neutral" rating to an "outperform" rating and lifted their price target for the company from $27.00 to $30.00 in a research note on Friday, November 15th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on UGI from $26.00 to $27.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on UGI in a report on Friday, November 22nd. They set a "buy" rating and a $28.00 price objective for the company. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $28.33.

UGI Stock Up 2.1 %

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.48, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a current ratio of 0.80. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $29.02 and its 200 day simple moving average is $26.11. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.84 and a beta of 1.21.

UGI (NYSE:UGI - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 5th. The utilities provider reported $1.37 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.21 by $0.16. UGI had a net margin of 3.73% and a return on equity of 14.64%. As a group, research analysts expect that UGI Co. will post 3 EPS for the current year.

UGI Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 1st. Investors of record on Monday, March 17th will be paid a $0.375 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 17th. This represents a $1.50 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.68%. UGI's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 120.97%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Inceptionr LLC acquired a new stake in shares of UGI in the 4th quarter valued at $715,000. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new stake in UGI in the fourth quarter valued at about $6,820,000. Vision Financial Markets LLC bought a new position in UGI in the fourth quarter valued at about $36,000. Arizona State Retirement System raised its stake in UGI by 3.2% during the fourth quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 62,305 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $1,759,000 after acquiring an additional 1,945 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Aigen Investment Management LP lifted its holdings in shares of UGI by 49.5% in the fourth quarter. Aigen Investment Management LP now owns 28,961 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $818,000 after acquiring an additional 9,592 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.34% of the company's stock.

UGI Company Profile

UGI Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, distributes, stores, transports, and markets energy products and related services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through four segments: AmeriGas Propane, UGI International, Midstream & Marketing, and UGI Utilities. It distributes propane to approximately 1.3 million residential, commercial/industrial, motor fuel, agricultural, and wholesale customers through 1,400 propane distribution locations.