Empower Advisory Group LLC Sells 269,272 Shares of NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. (NYSE:NWE)

Key Points

• Empower Advisory Group LLC significantly reduced its stake in NorthWestern Energy Group by 95.6%, selling over 269,000 shares to hold just 12,357 shares valued at $715,000.
• Multiple institutional investors increased their holdings in NorthWestern Energy Group, with Farther Finance Advisors LLC leading with a 155.3% rise during the same period.
• NorthWestern Energy Group recently announced a quarterly dividend of $0.66 per share, resulting in an annualized dividend yield of 4.8% based on its current stock price.

Empower Advisory Group LLC lowered its position in NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. (NYSE:NWE - Free Report) by 95.6% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 12,357 shares of the company's stock after selling 269,272 shares during the quarter. Empower Advisory Group LLC's holdings in NorthWestern Energy Group were worth $715,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Farther Finance Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of NorthWestern Energy Group by 155.3% during the 1st quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 845 shares of the company's stock valued at $49,000 after purchasing an additional 514 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its holdings in shares of NorthWestern Energy Group by 27.7% during the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 2,297 shares of the company's stock valued at $133,000 after purchasing an additional 498 shares during the last quarter. CWM LLC lifted its holdings in shares of NorthWestern Energy Group by 38.0% during the 1st quarter. CWM LLC now owns 3,055 shares of the company's stock valued at $177,000 after purchasing an additional 842 shares during the last quarter. KBC Group NV raised its stake in NorthWestern Energy Group by 30.6% in the 1st quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 3,266 shares of the company's stock worth $189,000 after acquiring an additional 765 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Thoroughbred Financial Services LLC purchased a new position in NorthWestern Energy Group in the 1st quarter worth $200,000. Institutional investors own 96.07% of the company's stock.

NorthWestern Energy Group Stock Performance

NorthWestern Energy Group stock traded down $0.03 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $55.30. 36,202 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 463,364. NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $50.43 and a fifty-two week high of $59.89. The firm has a market cap of $3.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.14, a PEG ratio of 2.40 and a beta of 0.35. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $52.50 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $54.61. The company has a current ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 0.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.94.

NorthWestern Energy Group (NYSE:NWE - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, July 31st. The company reported $0.40 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.38 by $0.02. NorthWestern Energy Group had a net margin of 14.81% and a return on equity of 7.40%. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.53 EPS. NorthWestern Energy Group's revenue was up 7.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts forecast that NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. will post 3.63 earnings per share for the current year.

NorthWestern Energy Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 15th will be paid a $0.66 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 15th. This represents a $2.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.8%. NorthWestern Energy Group's dividend payout ratio is currently 71.93%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on NWE shares. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on NorthWestern Energy Group from $62.00 to $64.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, May 1st. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH reiterated a "neutral" rating and issued a $56.00 price objective (down from $57.50) on shares of NorthWestern Energy Group in a report on Monday, June 2nd. Barclays lifted their price objective on NorthWestern Energy Group from $56.00 to $59.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Finally, BMO Capital Markets initiated coverage on NorthWestern Energy Group in a report on Tuesday, May 13th. They issued a "market perform" rating and a $60.00 price objective on the stock. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $60.00.

About NorthWestern Energy Group

NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc provides electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, and various industrial customers. It generates, purchases, transmits, and distributes electricity; and produces, purchases, stores, transmits, and distributes natural gas, as well as owns municipal franchises to provide natural gas service in the communities.