Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO) Issues Earnings Results

Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO) issued its earnings results on Tuesday. The utilities provider reported $2.23 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.20 by $0.03, Zacks reports. Atmos Energy had a return on equity of 8.83% and a net margin of 25.04%. Atmos Energy updated its FY 2025 guidance to 7.050-7.250 EPS.

Atmos Energy Stock Up 1.8 %

Shares of NYSE:ATO opened at $145.01 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $22.54 billion, a PE ratio of 21.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.80 and a beta of 0.72. Atmos Energy has a 1 year low of $110.46 and a 1 year high of $152.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 0.94 and a quick ratio of 0.80. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $141.45 and its two-hundred day moving average is $138.15.

Atmos Energy Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 10th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 25th will be issued a dividend of $0.87 per share. This represents a $3.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.40%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 25th. Atmos Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 50.66%.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Edward Geiser acquired 2,500 shares of Atmos Energy stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 11th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $144.89 per share, for a total transaction of $362,225.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now owns 2,602 shares in the company, valued at approximately $377,003.78. The trade was a 2,450.98 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.48% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on ATO. StockNews.com raised shares of Atmos Energy from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, November 7th. Morgan Stanley cut their price target on shares of Atmos Energy from $145.00 to $143.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, November 22nd. Argus upgraded Atmos Energy from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $150.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Friday, December 20th. Bank of America began coverage on Atmos Energy in a research note on Friday, December 13th. They set a “buy” rating and a $156.00 target price for the company. Finally, Mizuho increased their price target on Atmos Energy from $148.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 27th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $148.75.

Atmos Energy Company Profile

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.