UBS Group AG Sells 21,671 Shares of Middlesex Water Company $MSEX

UBS Group AG lowered its holdings in shares of Middlesex Water Company (NASDAQ:MSEX) by 27.6% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 56,865 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after selling 21,671 shares during the quarter. UBS Group AG’s holdings in Middlesex Water were worth $2,867,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in Middlesex Water by 1.8% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 1,398,851 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $70,530,000 after purchasing an additional 25,363 shares during the last quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue raised its stake in shares of Middlesex Water by 2.8% in the fourth quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 9,870 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $496,000 after acquiring an additional 271 shares during the period. TSP Capital Management Group LLC raised its stake in shares of Middlesex Water by 57.8% in the fourth quarter. TSP Capital Management Group LLC now owns 188,078 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $9,483,000 after acquiring an additional 68,854 shares during the period. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC raised its stake in shares of Middlesex Water by 0.7% in the fourth quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 40,541 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $2,044,000 after acquiring an additional 291 shares during the period. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC raised its stake in shares of Middlesex Water by 42.8% in the fourth quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 6,640 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $335,000 after acquiring an additional 1,991 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 79.52% of the company’s stock.

Middlesex Water Stock Performance

MSEX stock opened at $52.11 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $970.29 million, a PE ratio of 21.71 and a beta of 0.78. Middlesex Water Company has a 12 month low of $44.17 and a 12 month high of $62.17. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $52.12 and its 200 day moving average is $52.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 0.39 and a quick ratio of 0.32.

Middlesex Water (NASDAQ:MSEX) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The utilities provider reported $0.57 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.57. The company had revenue of $48.71 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $49.75 million. Middlesex Water had a net margin of 22.07% and a return on equity of 9.08%.

Middlesex Water Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Investors of record on Friday, May 15th will be paid a $0.36 dividend. This represents a $1.44 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 15th. Middlesex Water’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 60.00%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

MSEX has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Middlesex Water from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research note on Monday, May 18th. Loop Capital set a $55.00 target price on shares of Middlesex Water in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised shares of Middlesex Water from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, May 9th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $56.67.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Robert N. Hoglund purchased 2,000 shares of Middlesex Water stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 27th. The shares were bought at an average price of $54.31 per share, with a total value of $108,620.00. Following the purchase, the director directly owned 2,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $108,620. This represents a ? increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 1.92% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

About Middlesex Water

Middlesex Water Company is a regulated utility specializing in the provision of potable water and wastewater collection services to residential, commercial and industrial customers. The company operates through its wholly owned subsidiaries, supplying treated water and effectively managing sewage collection systems under state and local regulatory frameworks. Its core mission centers on delivering safe, reliable water while complying with stringent environmental and public health standards.

Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Iselin, New Jersey, Middlesex Water has grown from a local water works enterprise into a multi?state utilities group.