Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank Buys 22,120 Shares of American Electric Power Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:AEP)

Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank lifted its position in American Electric Power Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:AEP) by 20.7% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 128,935 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 22,120 shares during the period. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank’s holdings in American Electric Power were worth $11,892,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in AEP. PSI Advisors LLC increased its holdings in American Electric Power by 10.6% in the 4th quarter. PSI Advisors LLC now owns 1,113 shares of the company’s stock worth $103,000 after purchasing an additional 107 shares in the last quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of American Electric Power by 3.7% during the fourth quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. now owns 3,105 shares of the company’s stock worth $286,000 after purchasing an additional 112 shares during the last quarter. Albion Financial Group UT increased its stake in shares of American Electric Power by 0.9% in the fourth quarter. Albion Financial Group UT now owns 12,132 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,119,000 after buying an additional 112 shares during the period. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in American Electric Power by 11.2% in the 4th quarter. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 1,112 shares of the company’s stock valued at $103,000 after buying an additional 112 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. raised its holdings in American Electric Power by 8.7% in the 4th quarter. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. now owns 1,408 shares of the company’s stock valued at $130,000 after buying an additional 113 shares during the last quarter. 75.24% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

American Electric Power Price Performance

American Electric Power stock opened at $102.96 on Thursday. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $99.97 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $98.78. The stock has a market capitalization of $54.90 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.39, a PEG ratio of 2.97 and a beta of 0.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.46, a quick ratio of 0.31 and a current ratio of 0.44. American Electric Power Company, Inc. has a 52-week low of $79.16 and a 52-week high of $109.52.

American Electric Power (NASDAQ:AEP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 13th. The company reported $1.24 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.24. American Electric Power had a net margin of 15.08% and a return on equity of 11.27%. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.23 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts predict that American Electric Power Company, Inc. will post 5.87 earnings per share for the current year.

American Electric Power Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 10th. Investors of record on Monday, February 10th were paid a dividend of $0.93 per share. This represents a $3.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.61%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, February 10th. American Electric Power’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 66.43%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have issued reports on AEP. Barclays decreased their price target on shares of American Electric Power from $100.00 to $99.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, November 26th. Scotiabank lowered American Electric Power from a “sector outperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating and lowered their target price for the stock from $105.00 to $102.00 in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on American Electric Power from $109.00 to $104.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 22nd. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price objective on American Electric Power from $108.00 to $100.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 10th. Finally, Guggenheim raised American Electric Power from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 23rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $98.46.

American Electric Power Company Profile

American Electric Power Company, Inc, an electric public utility holding company, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity for sale to retail and wholesale customers in the United States. It operates through Vertically Integrated Utilities, Transmission and Distribution Utilities, AEP Transmission Holdco, and Generation & Marketing segments.