EQT Co. (NYSE:EQT) Receives Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

EQT Co. (NYSE:EQT) has been rated as a "Moderate Buy" by analysts covering the stock, according to recent reports. This consensus comes from a total of eighteen analysts, among which seven have issued a hold rating, while eleven have recommended buying the stock.

The analysts' projections show an average target price of $49.94 for EQT shares over the next twelve months. Recent updates on share ratings have been provided by various investment firms. For instance, Truist Financial increased its price target from $41.00 to $56.00 and maintained a hold rating as of January 13, 2025. Similarly, UBS Group adjusted its target from $40.00 to $42.00, offering a neutral rating in its November report.

Moreover, Stephens raised their price objective on EQT from $37.00 to $38.00, while JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target from $50.00 to $53.00, assigning an overweight rating. Additionally, Royal Bank of Canada has reissued a "sector perform" rating and set a target price of $49.00 for the stock.

Insider Activity at EQT

In terms of insider activities, it was reported that Director Thomas F. Karam sold 30,154 shares of EQT on December 3, 2024. The shares were sold at an average price of $44.83, amounting to a total of approximately $1.35 million. After this sale, Karam holds 201,608 shares of EQT, valued at around $9.04 million. This transaction signifies a decrease of about 13.01% in their holdings. Currently, company insiders own about 0.63% of the stock.

Hedge Funds and Institutional Investors

New activity from large investors also highlights interest in EQT stocks. Sanctuary Advisors LLC increased its holdings by 104.7% in the third quarter, acquiring an additional 32,484 shares, bringing its total to 63,507 shares worth $2.33 million. Retirement Systems of Alabama also boosted its share count by 36.7%, holding now 133,142 shares valued at nearly $4.88 million.

In the same quarter, FMR LLC raised its stake in EQT by 2.5% to 1,133,197 shares worth about $41.52 million. In the fourth quarter, Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC increased its holdings by 15.2%, securing 41,508 shares. Additionally, Howard Financial Services LTD purchased a new position in EQT worth approximately $223,000. A remarkable 90.81% of EQT shares are now owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

EQT Stock Performance Analysis

On Friday, EQT opened trading at $51.36. The stock has exhibited a 50-day moving average of $47.73 and a 200-day moving average of $40.19. Over the past year, EQT's stock price has fluctuated between a low of $30.02 and a high of $54.85. The company's market cap stands at $30.65 billion, with a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 61.14 and a price-to-earnings-growth (PEG) ratio of 0.62.

Dividends and Shareholder Returns

Additionally, EQT recently announced a quarterly dividend that will be paid on March 3, 2025. Shareholders as of February 18, 2025, will receive a dividend of $0.1575 per share, which annualizes to $0.63 with a yield of 1.23%. The current dividend payout ratio for EQT is 75.00%.

About EQT Corporation

EQT Corporation is primarily engaged in natural gas production within the United States. The company supplies natural gas and natural gas liquids to various customers, including marketers, utilities, and industrial firms, through its operational pipelines in the Appalachian Basin. In addition to production, EQT offers marketing services and manages pipeline capacity through contracts.

EQT, Analysts, Recommendation