Peabody Energy (NYSE:BTU) Reaches New 12-Month Low – Here’s What Happened

Shares of Peabody Energy Co. (NYSE:BTU) hit a new 52-week low during trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as $12.05 and last traded at $12.11, with a volume of 2486383 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $13.29.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their target price on shares of Peabody Energy from $30.00 to $26.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, January 6th. BMO Capital Markets upgraded Peabody Energy from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $26.00 price objective for the company in a report on Monday, December 16th. Finally, Benchmark dropped their target price on Peabody Energy from $30.00 to $26.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 7th.

Peabody Energy Trading Down 10.0 %

The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $15.18 and its 200 day simple moving average is $20.69. The stock has a market cap of $1.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4.43 and a beta of 0.94. The company has a quick ratio of 1.68, a current ratio of 2.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27.

Peabody Energy (NYSE:BTU) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 6th. The coal producer reported $0.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.53 by ($0.25). Peabody Energy had a net margin of 8.75% and a return on equity of 10.33%. On average, research analysts expect that Peabody Energy Co. will post 2.61 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Peabody Energy Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 11th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 19th were issued a $0.075 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 19th. This represents a $0.30 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.51%. Peabody Energy’s dividend payout ratio is currently 11.11%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company boosted its holdings in shares of Peabody Energy by 167.4% during the third quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 200,073 shares of the coal producer’s stock worth $5,310,000 after acquiring an additional 125,244 shares during the period. FMR LLC grew its holdings in Peabody Energy by 9.7% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 6,897 shares of the coal producer’s stock valued at $183,000 after buying an additional 611 shares in the last quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets grew its holdings in Peabody Energy by 255.7% in the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 117,071 shares of the coal producer’s stock valued at $3,107,000 after buying an additional 84,161 shares in the last quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Peabody Energy by 0.9% during the third quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 145,613 shares of the coal producer’s stock worth $3,865,000 after buying an additional 1,242 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. boosted its position in shares of Peabody Energy by 547.9% in the third quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 273,529 shares of the coal producer’s stock valued at $7,259,000 after acquiring an additional 231,309 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.44% of the company’s stock.

About Peabody Energy

Peabody Energy Corporation engages in coal mining business in the United States, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, India, Brazil, Belgium, Chile, France, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, South Korea, Germany, and internationally. The company operates through Seaborne Thermal, Seaborne Metallurgical, Powder River Basin, Other U.S.