UBS Group Has Lowered Expectations for Expand Energy (NASDAQ:EXE) Stock Price

Key Points

• UBS Group lowered Expand Energy’s price target from $120 to $117 but maintained a Buy rating, implying about 29.6% upside from the prior close.
• Analyst sentiment remains favorable overall: Expand Energy has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target of $123, despite several recent target reductions.
• The company exceeded third-quarter expectations, reporting $1.46 in earnings per share and $3.29 billion in revenue, while weak natural-gas prices have prompted production cuts and increased investor caution.

Expand Energy (NASDAQ:EXE - Get Free Report) had its price target dropped by research analysts at UBS Group from $120.00 to $117.00 in a research report issued on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a "buy" rating on the stock. UBS Group's price target suggests a potential upside of 29.56% from the stock's previous close.

Other analysts have also issued reports about the company. Truist Financial raised their price objective on Expand Energy from $120.00 to $122.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday. Johnson Rice cut shares of Expand Energy from a "buy" rating to an "accumulate" rating and dropped their target price for the stock from $135.00 to $125.00 in a report on Monday, August 17th. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Expand Energy from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 12th. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price target on shares of Expand Energy from $143.00 to $136.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 1st. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $117.00 price objective on shares of Expand Energy in a research report on Tuesday, October 20th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $123.00.

Expand Energy Price Performance

EXE traded down $1.27 during trading on Thursday, hitting $90.30. 1,493,972 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,554,723. Expand Energy has a twelve month low of $83.25 and a twelve month high of $126.62. The company has a market cap of $20.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.80 and a beta of 0.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 0.96 and a quick ratio of 0.96. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $92.17 and a 200 day moving average price of $96.92.

Expand Energy (NASDAQ:EXE - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, October 27th. The company reported $1.46 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.29 by $0.17. Expand Energy had a return on equity of 10.33% and a net margin of 20.46%. The firm had revenue of $3.29 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.85 billion. Equities research analysts forecast that Expand Energy will post 8.59 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Expand Energy

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Eastern Bank bought a new stake in shares of Expand Energy in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $27,000. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Expand Energy by 379.6% in the 1st quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 259 shares of the company's stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 205 shares in the last quarter. Ascentis Independent Advisors bought a new position in shares of Expand Energy during the 1st quarter valued at $32,000. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC bought a new position in shares of Expand Energy during the 2nd quarter valued at $32,000. Finally, Harbor Investment Advisory LLC bought a new position in shares of Expand Energy during the 2nd quarter valued at $33,000. 97.93% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about Expand Energy

Here are the key news stories impacting Expand Energy this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q3 results exceeded expectations: Expand Energy reported adjusted earnings of $1.46 per share, above the $1.29 consensus estimate, while revenue of $3.29 billion substantially exceeded the $2.85 billion forecast. Earnings also rose from $0.97 per share a year earlier. Expand Energy Surpasses Q3 Earnings Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Marketing growth is a strategic catalyst: Management is targeting $500 million in marketing EBITDA by 2028, using its marketing platform, hedges and operational flexibility to offset low gas prices. EXE Q3 Earnings Call Eyes Marketing Growth Amid Gas Price Weakness
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst targets remain above the current valuation: Truist raised its price target to $122 and maintained a Buy rating, while Bernstein lifted its target to $139, suggesting considerable potential upside if industry conditions improve. Truist Financial Rating Bernstein Adjusts Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend supports shareholder returns: Expand Energy declared a quarterly dividend of $0.575 per share, or $2.30 annualized, payable December 3 to shareholders of record November 12. Expand Energy Dividend Announcement
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst views are mixed: JPMorgan lowered its price target to $121 from $124, although that target remains well above recent trading levels. JPMorgan Adjusts Price Target
• Negative Sentiment: Weak natural-gas prices are weighing on sentiment: Expand Energy is curbing some production in response to unfavorable pricing. That action may protect cash flow, but it also signals softer near-term volumes and revenue expectations. Expand Energy Curbs Production on Weaker Gas Prices
• Negative Sentiment: Bearish trading activity increased: Investors purchased 11,605 put options, 51% above average volume, indicating elevated demand for downside protection or speculation on further weakness.

Expand Energy Company Profile

Expand Energy Corporation NASDAQ: EXE is an independent energy company focused on the exploration, development and production of natural gas, crude oil and natural gas liquids in the United States. The company's activities include drilling and operating unconventional oil and gas wells, primarily in major shale formations.

Expand Energy was formed through the combination of Chesapeake Energy Corporation and Southwestern Energy Company, a transaction completed in October 2024. Chesapeake's portfolio included assets in the Marcellus, Haynesville and Eagle Ford shale plays, while Southwestern was also a major operator in the Appalachian and Haynesville regions.

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