Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. Raises Holdings in UGI Co. (NYSE:UGI)

Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of UGI Co. (NYSE:UGI) by 2.1% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,555,075 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 51,861 shares during the period. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc.’s holdings in UGI were worth $72,130,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. S.A. Mason LLC purchased a new stake in UGI during the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Golden State Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in UGI during the 4th quarter valued at $36,000. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. purchased a new stake in UGI during the 4th quarter valued at $37,000. UMB Bank n.a. boosted its stake in UGI by 67.1% during the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 1,345 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 540 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Quintet Private Bank Europe S.A. purchased a new stake in UGI during the 4th quarter valued at $42,000. 82.34% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

UGI Price Performance

NYSE UGI opened at $32.44 on Wednesday. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $31.18 and its 200-day moving average price is $27.56. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.77, a PEG ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 1.17. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.44, a current ratio of 1.00 and a quick ratio of 0.82. UGI Co. has a 1-year low of $22.01 and a 1-year high of $34.49.

UGI (NYSE:UGI) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The utilities provider reported $1.37 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.21 by $0.16. UGI had a return on equity of 15.19% and a net margin of 7.73%. On average, equities analysts predict that UGI Co. will post 3.02 earnings per share for the current year.

UGI Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 1st. Investors of record on Monday, March 17th will be issued a $0.375 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 17th. This represents a $1.50 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.62%. UGI’s dividend payout ratio is currently 59.06%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Mizuho raised UGI from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating and increased their price target for the company from $27.00 to $30.00 in a report on Friday, November 15th. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on UGI in a report on Friday, November 22nd. They set a “buy” rating and a $28.00 price target on the stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Michael Sharp bought 4,806 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 27th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $33.30 per share, with a total value of $160,039.80. Following the acquisition, the insider now owns 4,806 shares in the company, valued at $160,039.80. This trade represents a ∞ increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.73% of the stock is owned by insiders.

UGI Profile

UGI Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, distributes, stores, transports, and markets energy products and related services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through four segments: AmeriGas Propane, UGI International, Midstream & Marketing, and UGI Utilities. It distributes propane to approximately 1.3 million residential, commercial/industrial, motor fuel, agricultural, and wholesale customers through 1,400 propane distribution locations.