TransAlta (TSE:TA) Stock Price Crosses Above 200-Day Moving Average - Time to Sell?

Key Points

• TransAlta shares moved above their 200-day moving average, trading as high as C$20.51 and last changing hands at C$20.15. The breakout comes after the stock’s 200-day average sat at C$18.09.
• Analyst sentiment remains positive, with several firms issuing bullish ratings and price targets between C$24 and C$28. MarketBeat shows a consensus Buy rating and a C$25.00 target price.
• The company’s latest earnings and balance sheet metrics were mixed, including C$0.06 EPS, negative net margin, and a relatively high debt-to-equity ratio of 317.20. Insider trading was also active, with one executive buying shares and another selling shares in recent transactions.

TransAlta Co. (TSE:TA - Get Free Report) NYSE: TAC passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Friday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of C$18.09 and traded as high as C$20.51. TransAlta shares last traded at C$20.15, with a volume of 1,076,771 shares traded.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts recently issued reports on TA shares. TD set a C$26.00 price objective on TransAlta and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, June 10th. Scotiabank upgraded TransAlta to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 10th. Scotia set a C$27.00 target price on TransAlta and gave the stock a "sector outperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 10th. ATB Cormark Capital Markets set a C$28.00 price target on TransAlta and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 10th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada set a C$24.00 price target on TransAlta and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 10th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have given a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, TransAlta currently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of C$25.00.

TransAlta Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 317.20, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 0.76. The company has a market cap of C$6.37 billion, a P/E ratio of -26.87, a P/E/G ratio of -0.07 and a beta of 0.75. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of C$18.75 and a 200-day moving average price of C$18.09.

TransAlta (TSE:TA - Get Free Report) NYSE: TAC last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, May 6th. The company reported C$0.06 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. TransAlta had a negative return on equity of 11.56% and a negative net margin of 7.73%.The firm had revenue of C$560.00 million during the quarter.

Insider Buying and Selling at TransAlta

In related news, insider Jane Nyla Fedoretz sold 10,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of C$18.25, for a total value of C$182,500.00. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 49,906 shares in the company, valued at approximately C$910,784.50. This trade represents a 16.69% decrease in their position. Also, insider Michael Politeski bought 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 19th. The stock was purchased at an average price of C$19.58 per share, for a total transaction of C$195,800.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the insider directly owned 75,000 shares in the company, valued at C$1,468,500. The trade was a 15.38% increase in their position. Over the last ninety days, insiders have purchased 30,450 shares of company stock valued at $557,548 and have sold 25,000 shares valued at $445,000. 0.21% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

About TransAlta

TransAlta owns, operates and develops a diverse fleet of electrical power generation assets in Canada, the United States and Australia with a focus on long-term shareholder value. TransAlta provides municipalities, medium and large industries, businesses and utility customers with affordable, energy efficient and reliable power. Today, TransAlta is one of Canada's largest producers of wind power and Alberta's largest producer of thermal generation and hydro-electric power. For over 114 years, TransAlta has been a responsible operator and a proud member of the communities where we operate and where our employees work and live.

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