Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC Buys 14,440 Shares of Atmos Energy Corporation $ATO

Key Points

• Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC increased its stake in Atmos Energy Corporation by 113%, acquiring an additional 14,440 shares and raising its total holdings to 27,216 shares valued at approximately $4.14 million.
• Multiple analysts have adjusted their price targets for Atmos Energy, with Morgan Stanley increasing its target from $162 to $167, while LADENBURG THALM/SH SH decreased its target from $171 to $163.
• Atmos Energy announced a quarterly dividend of $0.87 per share, representing an annualized yield of 2.1%, with a payout ratio of 47.8%.

Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC grew its stake in shares of Atmos Energy Corporation (NYSE:ATO - Free Report) by 113.0% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 27,216 shares of the utilities provider's stock after buying an additional 14,440 shares during the period. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC's holdings in Atmos Energy were worth $4,144,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of ATO. Brighton Jones LLC bought a new stake in shares of Atmos Energy during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $233,000. Mackenzie Financial Corp raised its position in shares of Atmos Energy by 48.3% during the fourth quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 19,558 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $2,724,000 after buying an additional 6,372 shares during the last quarter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH bought a new stake in shares of Atmos Energy during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $28,029,000. First Hawaiian Bank raised its position in shares of Atmos Energy by 6.6% during the first quarter. First Hawaiian Bank now owns 6,350 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $982,000 after buying an additional 395 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Versant Capital Management Inc raised its position in shares of Atmos Energy by 181.2% during the first quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 433 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $67,000 after buying an additional 279 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 90.17% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on shares of Atmos Energy from $162.00 to $167.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH restated a "neutral" rating and issued a $163.00 price target (down previously from $171.00) on shares of Atmos Energy in a research report on Friday, August 8th. UBS Group restated a "neutral" rating and issued a $159.00 price target (up previously from $146.00) on shares of Atmos Energy in a research report on Wednesday, July 30th. Barclays reduced their price target on shares of Atmos Energy from $156.00 to $153.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 10th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Atmos Energy from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Sunday, August 17th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have issued a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $161.27.

Atmos Energy Trading Down 0.2%

ATO stock opened at $166.48 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.25, a current ratio of 1.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67. Atmos Energy Corporation has a twelve month low of $136.05 and a twelve month high of $168.86. The stock has a market capitalization of $26.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.87, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.09 and a beta of 0.75. The firm's fifty day simple moving average is $162.96 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $157.17.

Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 6th. The utilities provider reported $1.16 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.17 by ($0.01). Atmos Energy had a net margin of 25.05% and a return on equity of 9.00%. The firm had revenue of $838.77 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $848.97 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.08 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Atmos Energy Corporation will post 7.18 earnings per share for the current year.

Atmos Energy Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 8th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 25th were given a dividend of $0.87 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 25th. This represents a $3.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.1%. Atmos Energy's payout ratio is 47.80%.

Atmos Energy Profile

Atmos Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the regulated natural gas distribution, and pipeline and storage businesses in the United States. It operates through two segments, Distribution, and Pipeline and Storage. The Distribution segment is involved in the regulated natural gas distribution and related sales operations in eight states.

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