Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO) Cut to “Sell” at Wall Street Zen

Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO) was downgraded by investment analysts at Wall Street Zen from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report released on Saturday.

A number of other research firms have also weighed in on ATO. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $163.00 price objective (down previously from $171.00) on shares of Atmos Energy in a research note on Friday. Argus raised Atmos Energy to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 28th. Citigroup boosted their price objective on Atmos Energy from $148.00 to $163.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, May 16th. UBS Group reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $159.00 price objective (up previously from $146.00) on shares of Atmos Energy in a research note on Wednesday, July 30th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on Atmos Energy from $164.00 to $166.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 16th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, four have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $158.27.

Atmos Energy Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:ATO opened at $164.34 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 1.37 and a quick ratio of 1.25. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $154.79 and its 200-day moving average price is $152.64. The firm has a market capitalization of $26.38 billion, a PE ratio of 22.57, a P/E/G ratio of 3.05 and a beta of 0.69. Atmos Energy has a 1 year low of $126.18 and a 1 year high of $167.45.

Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 6th. The utilities provider reported $1.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.17 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $838.77 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $848.97 million. Atmos Energy had a return on equity of 9.00% and a net margin of 25.05%. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.08 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Atmos Energy will post 7.18 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Atmos Energy news, Director Kim R. Cocklin sold 15,000 shares of Atmos Energy stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $150.98, for a total value of $2,264,700.00. Following the sale, the director owned 172,632 shares in the company, valued at $26,063,979.36. The trade was a 7.99% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.48% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Atmos Energy

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ATO. Brighton Jones LLC purchased a new stake in Atmos Energy in the fourth quarter valued at $233,000. Bank of Nova Scotia raised its holdings in shares of Atmos Energy by 6.7% in the 4th quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia now owns 21,196 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $2,952,000 after buying an additional 1,328 shares during the period. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina raised its holdings in shares of Atmos Energy by 3.6% in the 4th quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 68,081 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $9,482,000 after buying an additional 2,350 shares during the period. Sterling Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Atmos Energy by 10.9% in the 4th quarter. Sterling Capital Management LLC now owns 9,198 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $1,281,000 after buying an additional 903 shares during the period. Finally, Townsquare Capital LLC raised its holdings in shares of Atmos Energy by 1.4% in the 4th quarter. Townsquare Capital LLC now owns 15,626 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $2,176,000 after buying an additional 210 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.17% of the company’s stock.

About Atmos Energy

Atmos Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the regulated natural gas distribution, and pipeline and storage businesses in the United States. It operates through two segments, Distribution, and Pipeline and Storage. The Distribution segment is involved in the regulated natural gas distribution and related sales operations in eight states.