National Fuel Gas (NYSE:NFG) Reaches New 12-Month Low - Here's Why

Key Points

• National Fuel Gas hit a new 52-week low, falling as low as $74.92 on Wednesday and trading at $76.40, down from the prior close of $78.63.
• Analyst views were mixed, but the stock carries a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $105.50; Weiss Ratings upgraded it while Wall Street Zen downgraded it.
• The company paid a quarterly dividend of $0.555 per share, equivalent to $2.22 annually and a 2.9% yield.

Shares of National Fuel Gas Company (NYSE:NFG - Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week low during trading on Wednesday. The company traded as low as $74.92 and last traded at $76.40, with a volume of 1,428,116 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $78.63.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of National Fuel Gas from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. KeyCorp restated an "overweight" rating on shares of National Fuel Gas in a research report on Monday, August 31st. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut National Fuel Gas from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research report on Saturday, August 29th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, National Fuel Gas presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $105.50.

National Fuel Gas Trading Down 2.6%

The firm's 50 day moving average is $80.18 and its 200 day moving average is $83.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 3.20 and a quick ratio of 3.07. The company has a market cap of $7.28 billion, a PE ratio of 10.64, a PEG ratio of 1.76 and a beta of 0.36.

National Fuel Gas Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, October 15th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, September 30th were given a dividend of $0.5550 per share. This represents a $2.22 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.9%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, September 30th. National Fuel Gas's payout ratio is 30.83%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On National Fuel Gas

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Pension & Wealth Management Advisors Inc. bought a new position in National Fuel Gas in the 3rd quarter worth about $36,000. Cassaday & Co Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of National Fuel Gas during the 1st quarter valued at about $38,000. Bogart Wealth LLC grew its holdings in shares of National Fuel Gas by 170.2% during the first quarter. Bogart Wealth LLC now owns 516 shares of the oil and gas producer's stock worth $49,000 after purchasing an additional 325 shares in the last quarter. Mather Group LLC. grew its holdings in shares of National Fuel Gas by 1,032.8% during the third quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 725 shares of the oil and gas producer's stock worth $55,000 after purchasing an additional 661 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Versant Capital Management Inc grew its holdings in shares of National Fuel Gas by 80.7% during the second quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 831 shares of the oil and gas producer's stock worth $64,000 after purchasing an additional 371 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 73.96% of the company's stock.

National Fuel Gas Company Profile

National Fuel Gas Company NYSE: NFG is a diversified energy company engaged in the exploration, production, gathering, transportation, storage and distribution of natural gas. Its operations span the natural gas value chain, with an emphasis on resources and infrastructure in the Appalachian Basin.

Through its exploration and production business, National Fuel develops natural gas reserves primarily in the Marcellus Shale of Pennsylvania. Its pipeline and storage operations transport and store natural gas for utilities, marketers and other customers, while its gathering systems connect production wells to larger transmission networks.

National Fuel also operates a regulated natural gas utility that distributes gas to residential, commercial and industrial customers in portions of western New York and northwestern Pennsylvania.

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