Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO) had its price objective cut by Argus from $97.00 to $89.00 in a note issued to investors on Thursday. The firm presently has a “buy” rating on the utilities provider’s stock. Argus’ target price suggests a potential upside of 10.11% from the company’s current price.
Several other research analysts have also commented on the stock. Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of Atmos Energy from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on shares of Atmos Energy from $91.00 to $94.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 12th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. Atmos Energy presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $87.60.
Shares of Atmos Energy (NYSE ATO) traded up $0.14 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $80.83. 837,142 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 520,487. Atmos Energy has a fifty-two week low of $72.58 and a fifty-two week high of $93.56. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.35 and a current ratio of 0.53. The stock has a market cap of $8,968.74, a P/E ratio of 21.61, a PEG ratio of 3.01 and a beta of 0.40.
Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ATO. Aberdeen Asset Management PLC UK purchased a new position in Atmos Energy during the second quarter valued at approximately $597,000. Riverhead Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Atmos Energy by 68.9% during the 2nd quarter. Riverhead Capital Management LLC now owns 6,756 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $560,000 after purchasing an additional 2,756 shares during the last quarter. Teachers Advisors LLC raised its stake in Atmos Energy by 6.3% during the 2nd quarter. Teachers Advisors LLC now owns 163,577 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $13,569,000 after purchasing an additional 9,656 shares during the last quarter. TIAA CREF Investment Management LLC raised its stake in Atmos Energy by 23.9% during the 2nd quarter. TIAA CREF Investment Management LLC now owns 263,829 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $21,885,000 after purchasing an additional 50,893 shares during the last quarter. Finally, BlackRock Inc. raised its stake in Atmos Energy by 2.7% during the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 9,636,125 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $799,314,000 after purchasing an additional 255,277 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 67.70% of the company’s stock.
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About Atmos Energy
Atmos Energy Corporation is a fully-regulated, natural-gas-only distributor engaged primarily in the regulated natural gas distribution and pipeline businesses, as well as other nonregulated natural gas businesses. It operates through three segments: regulated distribution segment, which includes its regulated distribution and related sales operations; regulated pipeline segment, which includes pipeline and storage operations of its Atmos Pipeline-Texas Division, and nonregulated segment, which includes its nonregulated natural gas management, nonregulated natural gas transmission, storage and other services.
