Chesapeake Utilities Corporation (CPK) - What Are Researchers Saying About This Stock?

Key Points

• Analyst sentiment is moderately positive: Chesapeake Utilities has a “Moderate Buy” consensus from five analysts, with an average 12-month price target of $142.50 versus a reported share price of $136.46.
• Quarterly performance was mixed: The company reported $1.05 in earnings per share, slightly below the $1.07 consensus estimate, while revenue rose 4.7% year over year to $201.9 million and exceeded expectations.
• Investors received a steady dividend: Chesapeake Utilities paid a quarterly dividend of $0.735 per share, equivalent to a $2.94 annualized dividend and a 2.2% yield; institutional investors own 83.11% of the stock.

Chesapeake Utilities Corporation (NYSE:CPK - Get Free Report) has earned an average recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from the five research firms that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, two have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month target price among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $142.50.

A number of equities analysts recently commented on CPK shares. Mizuho set a $150.00 price target on Chesapeake Utilities and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, September 11th. Barclays set a $134.00 price objective on Chesapeake Utilities and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Monday, October 19th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Chesapeake Utilities from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a report on Saturday, August 1st. Weiss Ratings raised Chesapeake Utilities from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a report on Wednesday, October 21st. Finally, Huntington started coverage on Chesapeake Utilities in a research report on Monday, September 14th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $150.00 target price for the company.

Chesapeake Utilities Trading Up 0.7%

NYSE CPK opened at $136.46 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $3.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.76 and a beta of 0.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 0.32 and a quick ratio of 0.28. Chesapeake Utilities has a 12 month low of $118.88 and a 12 month high of $140.83. The company's fifty day moving average price is $131.02 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $129.22.

Chesapeake Utilities (NYSE:CPK - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The utilities provider reported $1.05 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.07 by ($0.02). Chesapeake Utilities had a return on equity of 9.34% and a net margin of 15.12%. The company had revenue of $201.90 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $198.91 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.04 EPS. Chesapeake Utilities's revenue for the quarter was up 4.7% on a year-over-year basis. Chesapeake Utilities has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.750-8.000 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Chesapeake Utilities will post 6.40 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Chesapeake Utilities Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, October 5th. Investors of record on Monday, September 14th were given a dividend of $0.7350 per share. This represents a $2.94 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, September 14th. Chesapeake Utilities's dividend payout ratio is currently 46.89%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Chesapeake Utilities

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in CPK. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its position in Chesapeake Utilities by 4.4% in the second quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 939,774 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $115,104,000 after buying an additional 39,754 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE bought a new stake in Chesapeake Utilities in the second quarter valued at $6,179,000. Renaissance Technologies LLC acquired a new position in shares of Chesapeake Utilities during the first quarter valued at $1,219,000. Deutsche Bank AG acquired a new position in shares of Chesapeake Utilities during the second quarter valued at $4,206,000. Finally, Clear Harbor Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Chesapeake Utilities during the second quarter valued at $6,069,000. 83.11% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Chesapeake Utilities

Chesapeake Utilities Corporation is an energy delivery company that provides natural gas, propane, electricity and related services to residential, commercial, industrial and institutional customers. Its operations include regulated utility businesses as well as unregulated energy and infrastructure activities.

The company distributes natural gas and electricity, transports natural gas through pipeline systems, and supplies propane and other fuels. It also develops and operates energy infrastructure and provides renewable natural gas and other energy solutions through its portfolio of operating subsidiaries.

Founded in 1859, Chesapeake Utilities serves customers primarily in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Florida and Ohio.

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