Greenwood Capital Associates LLC Cuts Position in National Fuel Gas (NYSE:NFG)

Greenwood Capital Associates LLC decreased its holdings in National Fuel Gas (NYSE:NFG) by 5.8% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 9,691 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock after selling 592 shares during the quarter. Greenwood Capital Associates LLC’s holdings in National Fuel Gas were worth $588,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Capital Performance Advisors LLP purchased a new stake in shares of National Fuel Gas during the third quarter worth approximately $28,000. V Square Quantitative Management LLC acquired a new stake in National Fuel Gas during the 3rd quarter worth $29,000. UMB Bank n.a. grew its holdings in shares of National Fuel Gas by 82.9% during the fourth quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 481 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 218 shares in the last quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of National Fuel Gas in the third quarter valued at about $35,000. Finally, S.A. Mason LLC purchased a new position in shares of National Fuel Gas in the fourth quarter worth about $38,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 73.96% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on National Fuel Gas from $65.00 to $64.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, November 12th. StockNews.com raised National Fuel Gas from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Bank of America started coverage on National Fuel Gas in a research note on Monday, October 28th. They issued an “underperform” rating and a $62.00 target price for the company. Finally, Argus raised shares of National Fuel Gas to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 19th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating, one has assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $69.00.

Insider Buying and Selling at National Fuel Gas

In other news, insider Justin I. Loweth sold 19,532 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $62.27, for a total transaction of $1,216,257.64. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 41,841 shares in the company, valued at $2,605,439.07. The trade was a 31.83 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, insider Donna L. Decarolis sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $62.58, for a total value of $625,800.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 81,519 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,101,459.02. This trade represents a 10.93 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.41% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

National Fuel Gas Price Performance

Shares of NYSE NFG opened at $72.41 on Wednesday. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $63.81 and its two-hundred day moving average is $61.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 0.39 and a quick ratio of 0.33. The company has a market cap of $6.56 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -517.16 and a beta of 0.64. National Fuel Gas has a 1-year low of $45.32 and a 1-year high of $73.13.

National Fuel Gas (NYSE:NFG) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 29th. The oil and gas producer reported $1.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.44 by $0.22. National Fuel Gas had a negative net margin of 0.53% and a positive return on equity of 15.96%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.46 earnings per share. Analysts forecast that National Fuel Gas will post 6.64 EPS for the current fiscal year.

National Fuel Gas Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 31st were paid a dividend of $0.515 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, December 31st. This represents a $2.06 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.85%. National Fuel Gas’s dividend payout ratio is presently -1,471.32%.

National Fuel Gas Profile

National Fuel Gas Company operates as a diversified energy company. It operates through four segments: Exploration and Production, Pipeline and Storage, Gathering, and Utility. The Exploration and Production segment explores for, develops, and produces natural gas and oil. The Pipeline and Storage segment provides interstate natural gas transportation services through an integrated gas pipeline system in Pennsylvania and New York; and owns and operates underground natural gas storage fields.