Texas Yale Capital Corp. Grows Stake in Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET)

Texas Yale Capital Corp. raised its stake in Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET) by 0.5% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 1,193,871 shares of the pipeline company’s stock after buying an additional 6,175 shares during the quarter. Energy Transfer accounts for 0.9% of Texas Yale Capital Corp.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 10th biggest holding. Texas Yale Capital Corp.’s holdings in Energy Transfer were worth $23,388,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Advisory Services Network LLC grew its stake in Energy Transfer by 8.6% during the 4th quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC now owns 314,352 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $6,158,000 after buying an additional 24,978 shares during the last quarter. Greenland Capital Management LP purchased a new position in Energy Transfer during the 4th quarter worth approximately $2,253,000. Rollins Financial Advisors LLC lifted its position in Energy Transfer by 70.7% during the fourth quarter. Rollins Financial Advisors LLC now owns 160,709 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $3,148,000 after purchasing an additional 66,565 shares during the period. Bank of Montreal Can lifted its holdings in shares of Energy Transfer by 12,090.8% in the 4th quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 12,455,613 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $244,005,000 after buying an additional 12,353,441 shares during the period. Finally, ArchPoint Investors lifted its holdings in Energy Transfer by 1.0% in the fourth quarter. ArchPoint Investors now owns 174,238 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $3,413,000 after acquiring an additional 1,668 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 38.22% of the company’s stock.

Energy Transfer Stock Down 2.6 %

Shares of NYSE ET opened at $15.46 on Wednesday. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $18.90 and its 200 day moving average price is $18.43. Energy Transfer LP has a 1 year low of $14.60 and a 1 year high of $21.45. The firm has a market cap of $53.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 1.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.42, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a current ratio of 1.12.

Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 11th. The pipeline company reported $0.29 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.35 by ($0.06). Energy Transfer had a net margin of 5.74% and a return on equity of 11.56%. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Energy Transfer LP will post 1.46 earnings per share for the current year.

Energy Transfer Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 19th. Investors of record on Friday, February 7th were issued a dividend of $0.325 per share. This is a positive change from Energy Transfer’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.32. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 7th. This represents a $1.30 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 8.41%. Energy Transfer’s payout ratio is presently 101.56%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

ET has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Royal Bank of Canada restated an “outperform” rating and set a $23.00 target price on shares of Energy Transfer in a research report on Tuesday, March 25th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on Energy Transfer from $20.00 to $26.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 25th. UBS Group reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Energy Transfer in a research note on Tuesday, March 4th. Citigroup reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Energy Transfer in a report on Monday, March 24th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of Energy Transfer from $20.00 to $21.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 18th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Energy Transfer has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $22.09.

About Energy Transfer

Energy Transfer LP provides energy-related services. The company owns and operates natural gas transportation pipeline, and natural gas storage facilities in Texas and Oklahoma; and approximately 20,090 miles of interstate natural gas pipeline. It also sells natural gas to electric utilities, independent power plants, local distribution and other marketing companies, and industrial end-users.