Alliance Resource Partners (NASDAQ:ARLP) Sees Strong Trading Volume After Dividend Announcement

Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ:ARLP - Get Free Report) saw unusually-high trading volume on Monday following a dividend announcement from the company. Approximately 172,987 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 60% from the previous session's volume of 435,968 shares.The stock last traded at $22.10 and had previously closed at $21.15.

The newly announced dividend which will be paid on Wednesday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, May 8th will be issued a dividend of $0.70 per share. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 12.61%. Alliance Resource Partners's payout ratio is currently 58.21%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, StockNews.com downgraded Alliance Resource Partners from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th.

Alliance Resource Partners Stock Up 5.0 %

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 2.27 and a quick ratio of 1.71. The company has a market cap of $2.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4.62 and a beta of 1.14. The firm's 50-day moving average price is $20.13 and its 200-day moving average price is $20.92.

Alliance Resource Partners (NASDAQ:ARLP - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, January 29th. The energy company reported $0.88 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.14 by ($0.26). Alliance Resource Partners had a net margin of 24.50% and a return on equity of 34.90%. The company had revenue of $625.42 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $672.54 million. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.63 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts forecast that Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. will post 4.05 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Alliance Resource Partners

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Alliance Resource Partners in the fourth quarter worth about $42,000. Chiron Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Alliance Resource Partners in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $128,000. Tortoise Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Alliance Resource Partners during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $151,000. Advisory Services Network LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Alliance Resource Partners during the fourth quarter worth approximately $182,000. Finally, Counterpoint Mutual Funds LLC increased its stake in shares of Alliance Resource Partners by 128.5% in the fourth quarter. Counterpoint Mutual Funds LLC now owns 9,943 shares of the energy company's stock worth $211,000 after buying an additional 5,592 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 18.11% of the company's stock.

About Alliance Resource Partners

Alliance Resource Partners, L.P., a diversified natural resource company, produces and markets coal primarily to utilities and industrial users in the United States. The company operates through four segments: Illinois Basin Coal Operations, Appalachia Coal Operations, Oil & Gas Royalties, and Coal Royalties.