Equinor ASA (NYSE:EQNR) Upgraded by Morgan Stanley to Equal Weight Rating

Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of Equinor ASA (NYSE:EQNR) from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday morning, MarketBeat reports. The brokerage currently has $40.40 price objective on the stock.

Other equities research analysts have also issued reports about the company. TD Cowen boosted their target price on Equinor ASA from $25.00 to $37.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, March 20th. Weiss Ratings raised Equinor ASA from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on Equinor ASA in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. They issued a “hold” rating for the company. Bank of America cut Equinor ASA from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, UBS Group upgraded Equinor ASA from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, March 20th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and five have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $34.61.

Equinor ASA Trading Up 1.6%

Shares of NYSE:EQNR opened at $40.01 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64, a quick ratio of 1.16 and a current ratio of 1.27. The stock has a market capitalization of $117.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.06 and a beta of 0.35. Equinor ASA has a 1-year low of $21.41 and a 1-year high of $42.06. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $29.89 and a 200 day moving average price of $25.94.

Equinor ASA (NYSE:EQNR) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The company reported $0.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.60 by $0.21. The company had revenue of $25.30 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $21.31 billion. Equinor ASA had a return on equity of 15.23% and a net margin of 4.74%. On average, research analysts anticipate that Equinor ASA will post 3.46 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Equinor ASA Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 15th will be issued a $0.39 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 15th. This is an increase from Equinor ASA’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.37. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.9%. Equinor ASA’s dividend payout ratio is currently 64.21%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. UMB Bank n.a. lifted its stake in Equinor ASA by 1,794.0% in the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 1,269 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 1,202 shares in the last quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC boosted its position in Equinor ASA by 86.2% during the 4th quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 1,318 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 610 shares during the period. McIlrath & Eck LLC purchased a new position in Equinor ASA during the 2nd quarter valued at about $36,000. Sound Income Strategies LLC increased its holdings in shares of Equinor ASA by 119.2% in the 4th quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC now owns 1,876 shares of the company’s stock valued at $48,000 after purchasing an additional 1,020 shares during the period. Finally, MAI Capital Management increased its holdings in shares of Equinor ASA by 55.6% in the 2nd quarter. MAI Capital Management now owns 2,339 shares of the company’s stock valued at $59,000 after purchasing an additional 836 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 5.51% of the company’s stock.

Equinor ASA News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Equinor ASA this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Sharp drop in short interest — short interest fell ~34% to ~20.0M shares (0.7% of float) as of Mar 13, lowering potential short‑squeeze risk and removing some downward pressure on the stock.
• Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley upgrade — the broker moved EQNR from “underweight” to “equal weight” with a $40.40 price target, signaling more neutral-to-positive institutional sentiment and providing a modest upside reference point.
• Positive Sentiment: Share buy‑back acceleration — Equinor expanded its first tranche of the 2026 buy‑back programme, lifting treasury holdings to ~2.51%, which supports shares via repurchases and boosts EPS. Equinor ASA: Share buy-back – first tranche for 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Stronger JV financing — the Shell‑Equinor JV Adura secured a $3bn reserve‑based lending facility, improving liquidity and funding for North Sea production. Shell-Equinor JV Adura secures $3 billion lending facility
• Positive Sentiment: Brazil project progress — Equinor has started drilling producer/injector wells at the Raia gas project, and is pursuing new Santos Basin exploration (adds near‑term production optionality). Equinor starts drilling at Brazil’s Raia, eyes new Santos Basin exploration in 2027
• Positive Sentiment: Renewables expansion — Equinor added the 230 MW Esquina do Vento wind project in Brazil (targeting 2028 start), supporting longer‑term decarbonization and growth in renewables. EQNR Expands Brazil Footprint With Esquina do Vento Wind Project
• Positive Sentiment: Broker support — UBS upgraded Equinor (additional analyst support can buoy demand). Equinor ASA (NYSE:EQNR) Upgraded at UBS Group
• Neutral Sentiment: Market view on valuation — opinion pieces argue EQNR remains undervalued, but these are thematic views rather than immediate catalysts. Equinor Stock (EQNR) Stays Undervalued as Market Overlooks Opportunity
• Neutral Sentiment: Corporate PR on global expansion — coverage noting Equinor’s broadening presence is informative but not an immediate price driver. Equinor ASA Expands Global Energy Presence Amid Evolving Industry
• Negative Sentiment: Mixed analyst consensus — some brokerages still rate EQNR a “Reduce”, which could cap upside or weigh on sentiment if reiterated. Equinor ASA (NYSE:EQNR) Receives Consensus Recommendation of “Reduce” from Brokerages
• Negative Sentiment: Options activity shows bearish interest — unusually large put buying (5,193 puts, ~24% above typical daily volume) indicates some traders are hedging or betting on downside volatility.

About Equinor ASA

Equinor ASA (NYSE: EQNR) is a Norway-based integrated energy company headquartered in Stavanger. Historically established as Statoil in the 1970s to develop Norway’s petroleum resources, the company changed its name to Equinor in 2018 to reflect a strategic shift toward a broader energy portfolio. Equinor’s operations span the full upstream value chain, including exploration, development and production of oil and natural gas, alongside trading and marketing activities that support its global commercial operations.

In recent years Equinor has pursued a transition strategy that combines continued development of conventional oil and gas resources with growing investments in low‑carbon energy.