Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET) Stock Holdings Lifted by Westwood Holdings Group Inc.

Westwood Holdings Group Inc. raised its position in Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET - Free Report) by 18.2% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 16,331,220 shares of the pipeline company's stock after purchasing an additional 2,512,060 shares during the quarter. Energy Transfer makes up approximately 2.5% of Westwood Holdings Group Inc.'s holdings, making the stock its biggest position. Westwood Holdings Group Inc. owned about 0.48% of Energy Transfer worth $319,929,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of ET. Bank of Montreal Can lifted its position in shares of Energy Transfer by 12,090.8% during the 4th quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 12,455,613 shares of the pipeline company's stock worth $244,005,000 after purchasing an additional 12,353,441 shares during the last quarter. FMR LLC lifted its position in shares of Energy Transfer by 15.7% during the 4th quarter. FMR LLC now owns 38,634,018 shares of the pipeline company's stock worth $756,840,000 after purchasing an additional 5,254,721 shares during the last quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC acquired a new position in shares of Energy Transfer during the 4th quarter worth about $50,166,000. Toronto Dominion Bank acquired a new position in shares of Energy Transfer during the 4th quarter worth about $48,426,000. Finally, Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors LP lifted its position in shares of Energy Transfer by 7.7% during the 4th quarter. Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors LP now owns 23,987,750 shares of the pipeline company's stock worth $469,920,000 after purchasing an additional 1,723,683 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 38.22% of the company's stock.

Energy Transfer Stock Down 0.1%

Shares of ET opened at $17.96 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of $61.63 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.03, a PEG ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 0.77. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.42, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a current ratio of 1.12. The business's fifty day moving average price is $17.48 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $18.58. Energy Transfer LP has a 52 week low of $14.60 and a 52 week high of $21.45.

Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 6th. The pipeline company reported $0.36 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.33 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $21.02 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $22.28 billion. Energy Transfer had a return on equity of 11.56% and a net margin of 5.74%. The firm's quarterly revenue was down 2.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.32 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Energy Transfer LP will post 1.46 earnings per share for the current year.

Energy Transfer Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, May 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 9th will be paid a $0.3275 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 9th. This represents a $1.31 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 7.29%. This is an increase from Energy Transfer's previous quarterly dividend of $0.33. Energy Transfer's dividend payout ratio is 99.24%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on ET shares. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on Energy Transfer from $20.00 to $26.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 25th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on Energy Transfer from $22.00 to $21.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, May 7th. Citigroup reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Energy Transfer in a research note on Monday, March 24th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $23.00 price objective on shares of Energy Transfer in a research note on Tuesday, March 25th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus increased their price target on Energy Transfer from $21.00 to $23.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 12th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $22.09.

Energy Transfer Company Profile

Energy Transfer LP provides energy-related services. The company owns and operates natural gas transportation pipeline, and natural gas storage facilities in Texas and Oklahoma; and approximately 20,090 miles of interstate natural gas pipeline. It also sells natural gas to electric utilities, independent power plants, local distribution and other marketing companies, and industrial end-users.

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