Brokerages Set Exelon Co. (NASDAQ:EXC) Price Target at $44.63

Exelon Co. (NASDAQ:EXC) has been assigned a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the nine ratings firms that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12-month target price among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $45.13.

A number of equities research analysts have commented on the company. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on Exelon from $46.00 to $48.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, March 20th. BMO Capital Markets restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Exelon in a research report on Tuesday, February 4th. Scotiabank lifted their price objective on Exelon from $42.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 13th. Barclays upped their target price on shares of Exelon from $42.00 to $48.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 25th. Finally, Evercore ISI raised shares of Exelon from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $43.00 to $44.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 21st.

Insider Activity at Exelon

In related news, EVP Colette D. Honorable sold 1,463 shares of Exelon stock in a transaction on Monday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $40.57, for a total value of $59,353.91. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 2,271 shares in the company, valued at approximately $92,134.47. This trade represents a 39.18 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Exelon

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Ameriflex Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Exelon during the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Millstone Evans Group LLC acquired a new position in Exelon during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Stephens Consulting LLC lifted its position in Exelon by 78.1% during the fourth quarter. Stephens Consulting LLC now owns 782 shares of the company’s stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 343 shares in the last quarter. Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. purchased a new stake in Exelon during the fourth quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Crews Bank & Trust acquired a new stake in shares of Exelon in the fourth quarter worth $34,000. 80.92% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Exelon Trading Up 0.5 %

NASDAQ:EXC opened at $44.25 on Friday. Exelon has a 52-week low of $34.01 and a 52-week high of $45.20. The company has a quick ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.61. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $42.40 and a 200-day simple moving average of $40.09. The company has a market capitalization of $44.67 billion, a PE ratio of 18.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.86 and a beta of 0.51.

Exelon (NASDAQ:EXC) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The company reported $0.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.59 by $0.05. Exelon had a net margin of 10.68% and a return on equity of 9.52%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.60 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts expect that Exelon will post 2.64 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Exelon Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 14th. Investors of record on Monday, February 24th were given a $0.40 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, February 24th. This is a boost from Exelon’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.38. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.62%. Exelon’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 65.31%.

Exelon Company Profile

Exelon Corporation, a utility services holding company, engages in the energy distribution and transmission businesses in the United States and Canada. The company is involved in the purchase and regulated retail sale of electricity and natural gas, transmission and distribution of electricity, and distribution of natural gas to retail customers.