Vermilion Energy (TSE:VET) Trading Down 14.4% on Analyst Downgrade

Vermilion Energy Inc. (TSE:VET) (NYSE:VET) shares were down 14.4% during trading on Thursday after CIBC lowered their price target on the stock from C$17.00 to C$14.00. The stock traded as low as C$7.83 and last traded at C$7.95. Approximately 867,089 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 14% from the average daily volume of 762,131 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$9.29.

A number of other research firms also recently issued reports on VET. Desjardins downgraded Vermilion Energy from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and cut their price target for the company from C$19.00 to C$14.00 in a research note on Wednesday, March 19th. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their price objective on shares of Vermilion Energy from C$17.00 to C$16.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, December 30th. National Bankshares upped their target price on shares of Vermilion Energy from C$18.00 to C$19.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, January 30th. TD Securities dropped their price target on shares of Vermilion Energy from C$18.00 to C$17.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 20th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets cut their price objective on shares of Vermilion Energy from C$16.00 to C$14.00 in a research report on Thursday, March 6th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of C$16.75.

Vermilion Energy Trading Down 13.8 %

The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is C$11.52 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is C$12.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 35.61, a current ratio of 1.25 and a quick ratio of 0.40. The firm has a market capitalization of C$1.24 billion, a P/E ratio of -1.51, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of -0.02 and a beta of 2.60.

Vermilion Energy Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, April 15th will be issued a $0.13 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 31st. This represents a $0.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.49%. This is an increase from Vermilion Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.12. Vermilion Energy’s dividend payout ratio is currently -9.03%.

Vermilion Energy Company Profile

Vermilion Energy Inc is an international oil and gas producing company. It engages in full-cycle exploration and production programs that focus on the acquisition, exploration, development, and optimization of producing properties in North America, Europe, and Australia. The majority of Vermilion’s revenue has derived from the production and sale of petroleum and natural gas.