National Fuel Gas Company (NYSE:NFG) Given Average Rating of "Moderate Buy" by Brokerages

Shares of National Fuel Gas Company (NYSE:NFG - Get Free Report) have received an average rating of "Moderate Buy" from the five ratings firms that are covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, two have given a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $106.00.

NFG has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Zacks Research upgraded National Fuel Gas from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, March 9th. Scotiabank set a $101.00 price target on National Fuel Gas in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, KeyCorp initiated coverage on National Fuel Gas in a report on Tuesday, April 7th. They set an "overweight" rating and a $110.00 price target for the company.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On National Fuel Gas

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in NFG. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of National Fuel Gas by 458.0% during the first quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 279 shares of the oil and gas producer's stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 229 shares during the period. Root Financial Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of National Fuel Gas during the third quarter worth approximately $29,000. Fairscale Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of National Fuel Gas during the fourth quarter worth approximately $29,000. HM Payson & Co. bought a new stake in shares of National Fuel Gas during the fourth quarter worth approximately $29,000. Finally, Richardson Financial Services Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of National Fuel Gas by 88.5% during the third quarter. Richardson Financial Services Inc. now owns 360 shares of the oil and gas producer's stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 169 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 73.96% of the company's stock.

National Fuel Gas Trading Down 1.6%

National Fuel Gas stock opened at $83.05 on Friday. National Fuel Gas has a 52 week low of $77.22 and a 52 week high of $97.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 0.62. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.89 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.24, a PEG ratio of 1.19 and a beta of 0.41. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $91.69 and a 200 day simple moving average of $85.37.

National Fuel Gas (NYSE:NFG - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The oil and gas producer reported $2.71 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $2.85 by ($0.14). National Fuel Gas had a return on equity of 20.62% and a net margin of 27.48%.The business had revenue of $858.37 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $856.57 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $2.39 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 17.6% on a year-over-year basis. National Fuel Gas has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.450-7.750 EPS. Analysts expect that National Fuel Gas will post 7.72 earnings per share for the current year.

National Fuel Gas Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 31st were issued a dividend of $0.535 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, March 31st. This represents a $2.14 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.6%. National Fuel Gas's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 29.85%.

Key Stories Impacting National Fuel Gas

Here are the key news stories impacting National Fuel Gas this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Management reiterated FY2026 guidance of $7.45–$7.75 EPS and struck a confident tone on the earnings call, which supports forward expectations and reduces uncertainty around full-year targets. National Fuel Gas Earnings Call Signals Resilient Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Q2 showed higher revenue and net income year-over-year and a solid return on equity, indicating the business model still generates healthy margins despite headwinds. National Fuel Gas Q2 Earnings Lag Estimates, Revenues Increase Y/Y
• Neutral Sentiment: Company is advancing a $93M Line N pipeline upgrade targeted for late 2028 — a long-term infrastructure lift that should support volumes and reliability but increases near-term capital commitments. National Fuel outlines $7.45-$7.75 EPS guidance while advancing $93M Line N upgrade for late 2028
• Neutral Sentiment: Management is exploring acquiring a larger Erie office (adding ~80 jobs), signaling investment in workforce and operations growth in the region; impact on earnings is modest but positive for long-term capacity. Erie office building was once home to Hammermill. NFG eyes buying it
• Negative Sentiment: Adjusted EPS missed consensus, largely attributed to declining production volumes this quarter — the primary near-term catalyst dragging the stock down. National Fuel Gas Q2 Earnings Lag Estimates, Revenues Increase Y/Y
• Negative Sentiment: Planned capex (Line N) and any reallocation of cash to upgrades could pressure near-term free cash flow and create execution risk on timing/costs — a concern for income-focused investors given the company’s dividend profile. National Fuel outlines $7.45-$7.75 EPS guidance while advancing $93M Line N upgrade for late 2028

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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