Los Angeles Capital Management LLC Sells 31,177 Shares of National Fuel Gas Company $NFG

Key Points

• Los Angeles Capital Management cut its stake in National Fuel Gas by 14% in the fourth quarter, selling 31,177 shares and leaving it with 191,157 shares valued at about $15.2 million.
• Analysts are generally positive on NFG, with a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $106; KeyCorp set a higher target of $110.
• National Fuel Gas reported quarterly earnings of $2.71 per share, missing estimates, while revenue came in slightly ahead of expectations; the company also pays a quarterly dividend of $0.535, yielding about 2.8%.

Los Angeles Capital Management LLC decreased its position in National Fuel Gas Company (NYSE:NFG - Free Report) by 14.0% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 191,157 shares of the oil and gas producer's stock after selling 31,177 shares during the quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC owned 0.20% of National Fuel Gas worth $15,163,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. New Age Alpha Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of National Fuel Gas by 4.2% during the 3rd quarter. New Age Alpha Advisors LLC now owns 3,184 shares of the oil and gas producer's stock valued at $294,000 after purchasing an additional 128 shares during the last quarter. Legacy Bridge LLC increased its position in shares of National Fuel Gas by 0.7% during the 4th quarter. Legacy Bridge LLC now owns 17,927 shares of the oil and gas producer's stock valued at $1,435,000 after purchasing an additional 132 shares during the last quarter. NewEdge Wealth LLC increased its position in shares of National Fuel Gas by 6.2% during the 4th quarter. NewEdge Wealth LLC now owns 2,680 shares of the oil and gas producer's stock valued at $215,000 after purchasing an additional 156 shares during the last quarter. OneDigital Investment Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of National Fuel Gas by 5.3% during the 3rd quarter. OneDigital Investment Advisors LLC now owns 3,238 shares of the oil and gas producer's stock valued at $299,000 after purchasing an additional 164 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Park Avenue Securities LLC increased its position in shares of National Fuel Gas by 1.4% during the 4th quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC now owns 12,050 shares of the oil and gas producer's stock valued at $965,000 after purchasing an additional 169 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 73.96% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on NFG shares. Weiss Ratings raised National Fuel Gas from a "buy (b)" rating to a "buy (b+)" rating in a research report on Friday, May 22nd. Zacks Research raised National Fuel Gas from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, March 9th. Finally, KeyCorp started coverage on National Fuel Gas in a research report on Tuesday, April 7th. They set an "overweight" rating and a $110.00 target price on the stock. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have issued a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $106.00.

National Fuel Gas Stock Performance

Shares of National Fuel Gas stock opened at $77.46 on Monday. The stock's fifty day moving average is $85.81 and its two-hundred day moving average is $85.17. The company has a market capitalization of $7.36 billion, a PE ratio of 10.48, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 0.37. The company has a quick ratio of 0.55, a current ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55. National Fuel Gas Company has a 52 week low of $75.85 and a 52 week high of $97.06.

National Fuel Gas (NYSE:NFG - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 30th. The oil and gas producer reported $2.71 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.85 by ($0.14). The business had revenue of $858.37 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $856.57 million. National Fuel Gas had a net margin of 27.48% and a return on equity of 20.62%. The business's revenue was up 17.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.39 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that National Fuel Gas Company will post 7.59 earnings per share for the current year.

National Fuel Gas Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 31st were given a $0.535 dividend. This represents a $2.14 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, March 31st. National Fuel Gas's dividend payout ratio is 28.96%.

National Fuel Gas Company Profile

National Fuel Gas Company NYSE: NFG is a diversified energy company engaged primarily in the production, gathering, transmission, distribution and marketing of natural gas. The company operates through four principal segments: Exploration & Production, Pipeline & Storage, Utilities, and Energy Marketing. Its integrated asset base spans upstream development in the Appalachian Basin, regional pipeline networks, underground storage facilities, and regulated utility distribution systems.

In its Exploration & Production segment, National Fuel Gas focuses on developing natural gas reserves in the Marcellus and Utica shales, leveraging modern drilling and completion techniques.

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