Parkside Financial Bank & Trust Increases Position in Atmos Energy Co. (NYSE:ATO)

Parkside Financial Bank & Trust lifted its position in Atmos Energy Co. (NYSE:ATO) by 23.0% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 598 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 112 shares during the period. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust’s holdings in Atmos Energy were worth $83,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of ATO. Dunhill Financial LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Atmos Energy by 1,542.9% in the third quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 230 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 216 shares during the period. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Atmos Energy by 50.0% in the fourth quarter. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. now owns 300 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $42,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the period. PFS Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Atmos Energy in the third quarter valued at approximately $69,000. Keystone Financial Group Inc. bought a new position in Atmos Energy in the fourth quarter worth approximately $79,000. Finally, Slocum Gordon & Co LLP bought a new position in Atmos Energy in the fourth quarter worth approximately $125,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.17% of the company’s stock.

Atmos Energy Price Performance

NYSE:ATO opened at $152.30 on Monday. Atmos Energy Co. has a one year low of $110.97 and a one year high of $152.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 1.43 and a current ratio of 1.56. The firm has a market cap of $24.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.70, a PEG ratio of 2.94 and a beta of 0.72. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $143.10 and its two-hundred day moving average is $140.56.

Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 4th. The utilities provider reported $2.23 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.20 by $0.03. Atmos Energy had a net margin of 25.90% and a return on equity of 8.89%. Research analysts expect that Atmos Energy Co. will post 7.18 EPS for the current year.

Atmos Energy Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 10th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 25th will be paid a dividend of $0.87 per share. This represents a $3.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.28%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 25th. Atmos Energy’s payout ratio is currently 49.57%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the stock. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Atmos Energy from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 6th. Argus raised shares of Atmos Energy from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $150.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Friday, December 20th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on shares of Atmos Energy from $145.00 to $143.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, November 22nd. Bank of America assumed coverage on shares of Atmos Energy in a research note on Friday, December 13th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $156.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Mizuho upped their price target on Atmos Energy from $148.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 27th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $148.75.

About Atmos Energy

Atmos Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the regulated natural gas distribution, and pipeline and storage businesses in the United States. It operates through two segments, Distribution, and Pipeline and Storage. The Distribution segment is involved in the regulated natural gas distribution and related sales operations in eight states.