Alliance Resource Partners (NASDAQ:ARLP) Receives Buy Rating from Benchmark

Benchmark reissued their buy rating on shares of Alliance Resource Partners (NASDAQ:ARLP) in a report released on Tuesday morning, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a $25.00 price target on the energy company’s stock.

Separately, StockNews.com lowered shares of Alliance Resource Partners from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, February 6th.

Alliance Resource Partners Price Performance

Alliance Resource Partners stock opened at $23.25 on Tuesday. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $20.34 and a 200 day simple moving average of $20.94. 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 capitalization of $2.98 billion, a PE ratio of 5.09 and a beta of 1.11. Alliance Resource Partners has a one year low of $17.05 and a one year high of $24.30.

Alliance Resource Partners (NASDAQ:ARLP) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, April 29th. The energy company reported $1.21 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.93 by $0.28. Alliance Resource Partners had a return on equity of 32.06% and a net margin of 23.36%. The firm had revenue of $651.70 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $625.32 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.45 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Alliance Resource Partners will post 3.98 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Alliance Resource Partners Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, May 8th will be paid a $0.70 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, May 7th. This represents a $2.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 12.04%. Alliance Resource Partners’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 61.27%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. raised its stake in shares of Alliance Resource Partners by 18.4% in the first quarter. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. now owns 20,102 shares of the energy company’s stock worth $403,000 after acquiring an additional 3,131 shares during the last quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC raised its position in Alliance Resource Partners by 36.5% in the 1st quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 53,357 shares of the energy company’s stock worth $1,070,000 after purchasing an additional 14,255 shares during the last quarter. Crew Capital Management Ltd. bought a new position in Alliance Resource Partners in the 1st quarter worth approximately $307,000. Crescent Grove Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Alliance Resource Partners by 3.4% during the 1st quarter. Crescent Grove Advisors LLC now owns 175,250 shares of the energy company’s stock worth $3,514,000 after buying an additional 5,752 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. boosted its position in Alliance Resource Partners by 3.3% in the 1st quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 359,669 shares of the energy company’s stock valued at $7,211,000 after buying an additional 11,482 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 18.11% of the company’s stock.

Alliance Resource Partners Company Profile

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.