Middlesex Water (NASDAQ:MSEX) Share Price Crosses Above 200 Day Moving Average – Should You Sell?

Middlesex Water Company (NASDAQ:MSEX) passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $52.26 and traded as high as $53.11. Middlesex Water shares last traded at $51.93, with a volume of 136,043 shares changing hands.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms recently issued reports on MSEX. Loop Capital set a $55.00 target price on Middlesex Water in a research report on Wednesday, February 25th. Wall Street Zen raised Middlesex Water from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, May 9th. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Middlesex Water from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a report on Monday, May 18th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Middlesex Water presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $56.67.

Middlesex Water Trading Down 1.5%

The company’s fifty day moving average is $52.28 and its two-hundred day moving average is $52.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.32 and a current ratio of 0.39. The company has a market cap of $966.94 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.64 and a beta of 0.79.

Middlesex Water (NASDAQ:MSEX) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The utilities provider reported $0.57 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.57. The company had revenue of $48.71 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $49.75 million. Middlesex Water had a return on equity of 9.08% and a net margin of 22.07%.

Middlesex Water Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 15th were given a dividend of $0.36 per share. This represents a $1.44 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 15th. Middlesex Water’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 60.00%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Middlesex Water

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Parallel Advisors LLC grew its position in Middlesex Water by 68.6% during the 1st quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 521 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 212 shares during the period. Western Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Middlesex Water during the 1st quarter worth approximately $33,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. grew its stake in shares of Middlesex Water by 137.8% during the 3rd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 635 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 368 shares during the period. KBC Group NV acquired a new stake in shares of Middlesex Water during the 1st quarter worth approximately $45,000. Finally, Cassaday & Co Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Middlesex Water during the 1st quarter worth approximately $114,000. 79.52% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Middlesex Water

Middlesex Water Company is a regulated utility specializing in the provision of potable water and wastewater collection services to residential, commercial and industrial customers. The company operates through its wholly owned subsidiaries, supplying treated water and effectively managing sewage collection systems under state and local regulatory frameworks. Its core mission centers on delivering safe, reliable water while complying with stringent environmental and public health standards.

Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Iselin, New Jersey, Middlesex Water has grown from a local water works enterprise into a multi‐state utilities group.