MDU Resources Group, Inc. (NYSE:MDU) Shares Bought by Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank

Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank lifted its position in shares of MDU Resources Group, Inc. (NYSE:MDU) by 16.8% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 43,221 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 6,232 shares during the quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank’s holdings in MDU Resources Group were worth $856,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Covestor Ltd raised its stake in shares of MDU Resources Group by 5.4% during the 3rd quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 11,633 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $228,000 after buying an additional 600 shares in the last quarter. Inspire Investing LLC raised its position in MDU Resources Group by 4.5% in the third quarter. Inspire Investing LLC now owns 15,689 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $307,000 after acquiring an additional 672 shares in the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in MDU Resources Group by 1.5% in the third quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 47,627 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $933,000 after acquiring an additional 703 shares during the period. Arizona State Retirement System boosted its position in shares of MDU Resources Group by 1.4% during the 3rd quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 55,079 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $1,078,000 after purchasing an additional 745 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Fifth Third Bancorp increased its holdings in shares of MDU Resources Group by 50.1% in the 3rd quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 2,265 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $44,000 after purchasing an additional 756 shares in the last quarter. 71.44% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, StockNews.com downgraded shares of MDU Resources Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 3rd.

MDU Resources Group Stock Performance

MDU opened at $24.67 on Monday. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $23.25 and its 200 day simple moving average is $20.69. The stock has a market cap of $5.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.09, a P/E/G ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 0.78. MDU Resources Group, Inc. has a 1-year low of $18.04 and a 1-year high of $25.78. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77, a current ratio of 1.27 and a quick ratio of 1.19.

MDU Resources Group (NYSE:MDU) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The utilities provider reported $0.48 earnings per share for the quarter. The company had revenue of $1.14 billion for the quarter. MDU Resources Group had a return on equity of 8.84% and a net margin of 8.35%. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that MDU Resources Group, Inc. will post 1.5 EPS for the current fiscal year.

MDU Resources Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, April 1st. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 14th were given a dividend of $0.125 per share. This represents a $0.50 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.03%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, March 13th. MDU Resources Group’s payout ratio is currently 24.51%.

MDU Resources Group Company Profile

MDU Resources Group, Inc engages in the regulated energy delivery, and construction materials and services businesses in the United States. It operates through four segments: Electric, Natural Gas Distribution, Pipeline, and Construction Services. The Electric segment generates, transmits, and distributes electricity for residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming; and operates 3,400 miles of transmission lines, 4,800 miles of distribution lines, and 82 transmission and 298 distribution substations.