Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank Acquires 277,543 Shares of Exelon Co. (NASDAQ:EXC)

Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank increased its position in Exelon Co. (NASDAQ:EXC) by 50.8% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 823,850 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 277,543 shares during the period. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank owned approximately 0.08% of Exelon worth $31,010,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Exelon by 3.7% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 60,169,219 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,439,862,000 after purchasing an additional 2,156,259 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Exelon by 1.6% in the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 25,945,791 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,048,823,000 after purchasing an additional 403,542 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC raised its position in Exelon by 18.7% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 11,782,549 shares of the company’s stock valued at $477,782,000 after buying an additional 1,858,502 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC raised its position in Exelon by 1.8% in the 3rd quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 8,967,343 shares of the company’s stock valued at $363,626,000 after buying an additional 160,313 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its position in Exelon by 4.4% in the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 6,729,004 shares of the company’s stock valued at $253,280,000 after buying an additional 282,596 shares during the last quarter. 80.92% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at Exelon

In other Exelon news, EVP Colette D. Honorable sold 1,463 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $40.57, for a total value of $59,353.91. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 2,271 shares in the company, valued at $92,134.47. This trade represents a 39.18 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Exelon Stock Up 1.5 %

EXC stock opened at $43.76 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.61, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a current ratio of 0.87. The company has a market capitalization of $43.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.86, a PEG ratio of 2.86 and a beta of 0.51. Exelon Co. has a fifty-two week low of $34.01 and a fifty-two week high of $45.19. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $40.86 and a 200-day moving average of $39.60.

Exelon (NASDAQ:EXC) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The company reported $0.64 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.59 by $0.05. Exelon had a return on equity of 9.52% and a net margin of 10.68%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.60 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Exelon Co. will post 2.64 earnings per share for the current year.

Exelon Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 14th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 24th will be paid a dividend of $0.40 per share. This is an increase from Exelon’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.38. The ex-dividend date is Monday, February 24th. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.66%. Exelon’s dividend payout ratio is presently 65.31%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

EXC has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Barclays increased their price target on Exelon from $42.00 to $48.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 25th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on Exelon from $46.00 to $44.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, November 22nd. BMO Capital Markets reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Exelon in a research report on Tuesday, February 4th. Evercore ISI raised Exelon from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and increased their price target for the company from $43.00 to $44.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 21st. Finally, Guggenheim raised Exelon from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 23rd. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Exelon presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $44.13.

Exelon Company Profile

Exelon Corporation, a utility services holding company, engages in the energy distribution and transmission businesses in the United States and Canada. The company is involved in the purchase and regulated retail sale of electricity and natural gas, transmission and distribution of electricity, and distribution of natural gas to retail customers.