Alliance Resource Partners (NASDAQ:ARLP) Rating Increased to Buy at StockNews.com

Alliance Resource Partners (NASDAQ:ARLP - Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities researchers at StockNews.com from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report released on Sunday.

Separately, Benchmark reissued a "buy" rating and set a $29.00 price target on shares of Alliance Resource Partners in a research note on Tuesday, April 29th.

Alliance Resource Partners Stock Performance

NASDAQ ARLP traded down $0.57 on Friday, hitting $25.24. 194,746 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 358,735. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24, a current ratio of 2.36 and a quick ratio of 1.69. Alliance Resource Partners has a fifty-two week low of $21.95 and a fifty-two week high of $30.56. The firm's 50-day moving average price is $26.24 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $26.62. The firm has a market cap of $3.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.14 and a beta of 0.52.

Alliance Resource Partners (NASDAQ:ARLP - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Monday, April 28th. The energy company reported $0.60 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.63 by ($0.03). The firm had revenue of $540.47 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $556.31 million. Alliance Resource Partners had a net margin of 14.74% and a return on equity of 19.09%. On average, research analysts expect that Alliance Resource Partners will post 2.72 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other Alliance Resource Partners news, SVP Timothy J. Whelan sold 50,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $25.13, for a total value of $1,256,500.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 93,850 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,358,450.50. This trade represents a 34.76 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 16.80% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Alliance Resource Partners

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Farther Finance Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Alliance Resource Partners by 321.3% in the 1st quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 969 shares of the energy company's stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 739 shares in the last quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC bought a new stake in Alliance Resource Partners during the fourth quarter valued at $26,000. USA Financial Formulas acquired a new stake in Alliance Resource Partners during the fourth quarter worth about $33,000. Summit Securities Group LLC raised its position in shares of Alliance Resource Partners by 350.0% during the 4th quarter. Summit Securities Group LLC now owns 1,800 shares of the energy company's stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 1,400 shares during the period. Finally, Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lifted its stake in Alliance Resource Partners by 223.5% in the fourth quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 3,406 shares of the energy company's stock valued at $90,000 after buying an additional 2,353 shares during the last quarter. 18.11% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Alliance Resource Partners

Alliance Resource Partners, L.P., a diversified natural resource company, produces and markets coal primarily to utilities and industrial users in the United States. The company operates through four segments: Illinois Basin Coal Operations, Appalachia Coal Operations, Oil & Gas Royalties, and Coal Royalties.