UGI Corporation (NYSE:UGI) Receives Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

UGI Corporation (NYSE:UGI) has earned a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the five research firms that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $44.50.

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $45.00 price objective on shares of UGI in a report on Wednesday, November 19th. UBS Group reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of UGI in a research note on Monday, December 15th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of UGI from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Monday, January 26th. Wall Street Zen cut UGI from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, November 22nd. Finally, Mizuho increased their price target on UGI from $41.00 to $44.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, December 15th.

Key Stories Impacting UGI

Here are the key news stories impacting UGI this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Customer bills are increasing next month, which should raise near‑term cash flow and revenue for UGI’s regulated gas business. UGI gas bills go up Sunday – here’s what to expect
• Neutral Sentiment: Company messaging frames the upcoming bill increases as smaller than they could have been — a mixed signal: revenue rises but regulatory moderation limits upside and reduces volatility that might have hit customers/PR. UGI bills will rise next month, but the company claims it could have been worse
• Negative Sentiment: Pennsylvania regulators have suspended and restructured UGI’s rate case, creating timing and recovery uncertainty that could delay rate relief and compress near‑term margins for the utility segment. What UGI (UGI)’s Pa. Rate Case Suspension and Restructuring Shift Means For Shareholders
• Negative Sentiment: Regulators capped the pass‑through increase UGI can collect for gas supply costs, limiting the company’s ability to fully recover higher commodity costs and potentially pressuring margins or requiring catch‑ups later. Regulators cap UGI gas supply cost increase, company says
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research cut Q1 and near‑term EPS estimates for UGI (multiple downward revisions to Q1, Q2 and FY forecasts). Analyst downgrades reduce near‑term earnings expectations and can weigh on the stock until guidance or results show recovery.

UGI Price Performance

Shares of UGI opened at $37.41 on Friday. UGI has a 12 month low of $29.03 and a 12 month high of $41.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19, a current ratio of 0.78 and a quick ratio of 0.64. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $38.18 and a 200 day moving average price of $35.97. The company has a market cap of $8.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.81 and a beta of 1.08.

UGI (NYSE:UGI) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The utilities provider reported $1.26 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.50 by ($0.24). UGI had a net margin of 8.17% and a return on equity of 14.46%. The firm had revenue of $2.08 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.49 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.37 EPS. UGI’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts forecast that UGI will post 3.02 earnings per share for the current year.

UGI Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 16th will be issued a $0.375 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 16th. This represents a $1.50 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.0%. UGI’s dividend payout ratio is currently 55.35%.

Insider Buying and Selling at UGI

In other news, CAO Jean Felix Tematio sold 12,840 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $38.07, for a total transaction of $488,818.80. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 6,952 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $264,662.64. This represents a 64.87% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Joseph L. Hartz sold 5,000 shares of UGI stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $38.45, for a total value of $192,250.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 33,492 shares in the company, valued at $1,287,767.40. This represents a 12.99% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Corporate insiders own 0.57% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On UGI

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC bought a new position in UGI during the third quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Bare Financial Services Inc lifted its stake in shares of UGI by 103.8% in the 3rd quarter. Bare Financial Services Inc now owns 1,345 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $45,000 after purchasing an additional 685 shares during the last quarter. Torren Management LLC bought a new stake in UGI in the fourth quarter worth $65,000. Colonial Trust Co SC acquired a new position in UGI during the fourth quarter worth $75,000. Finally, Horizon Investments LLC bought a new position in UGI during the fourth quarter valued at about $93,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.34% of the company’s stock.

About UGI

UGI Corporation (NYSE: UGI) is a publicly traded energy distribution company headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1882 as the United Gas Improvement Company, UGI has grown into a diversified provider of energy products and services. The company’s operations are organized into three primary segments—AmeriGas Propane, UGI Utilities and UGI International—each focused on the delivery of propane, natural gas and related services to residential, commercial and industrial customers.

AmeriGas Propane, UGI’s largest segment, is the leading retail propane distributor in the United States with a network of dealers serving customers in all 50 states.