Analysts Set Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:EXE) PT at $125.33

Shares of Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:EXE) have been assigned a consensus rating of “Buy” from the nineteen analysts that are covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation, sixteen have issued a buy recommendation and two have given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price target among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $125.33.

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Mizuho upped their price objective on shares of Chesapeake Energy from $136.00 to $141.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 13th. Barclays upgraded Chesapeake Energy from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and increased their price target for the stock from $115.00 to $122.00 in a report on Tuesday, April 15th. The Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on Chesapeake Energy in a research note on Friday, January 31st. They issued a “buy” rating and a $121.00 price objective on the stock. Stephens decreased their target price on Chesapeake Energy from $123.00 to $118.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 15th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on Chesapeake Energy from $107.00 to $112.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 2nd.

Insider Activity

In related news, CEO Domenic J. Dell’osso, Jr. bought 2,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 5th. The shares were bought at an average price of $99.50 per share, for a total transaction of $248,750.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer now directly owns 107,845 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $10,730,577.50. This trade represents a 2.37% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.19% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Chesapeake Energy

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Chesapeake Energy in the 1st quarter worth $2,973,033,000. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD purchased a new position in Chesapeake Energy during the first quarter worth about $1,310,932,000. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. purchased a new position in Chesapeake Energy during the first quarter worth about $701,831,000. Wellington Management Group LLP bought a new stake in Chesapeake Energy in the 1st quarter worth about $624,083,000. Finally, Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA purchased a new stake in Chesapeake Energy in the 1st quarter valued at about $518,328,000. 97.93% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Chesapeake Energy Trading Down 0.2%

NASDAQ EXE opened at $114.71 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of $27.30 billion, a PE ratio of 70.81 and a beta of 0.46. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $107.52 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $102.66. The company has a current ratio of 2.00, a quick ratio of 2.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20. Chesapeake Energy has a 12 month low of $81.66 and a 12 month high of $116.46.

Chesapeake Energy (NASDAQ:EXE) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, April 29th. The company reported $2.02 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.85 by $0.17. The business had revenue of $2.20 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.10 billion. Chesapeake Energy had a return on equity of 2.74% and a net margin of 6.07%. On average, analysts expect that Chesapeake Energy will post 1.33 EPS for the current year.

Chesapeake Energy Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, June 4th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 15th will be paid a $0.575 dividend. This represents a $2.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.01%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, May 15th. Chesapeake Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -42.91%.

About Chesapeake Energy

Expand Energy Corporation is an independent natural gas producer principally in the United States. Expand Energy Corporation, formerly known as Chesapeake Energy Corporation, is based in OKLAHOMA CITY.