Peabody Energy (NYSE:BTU) Reaches New 52-Week Low – Should You Sell?

Shares of Peabody Energy Co. (NYSE:BTU) hit a new 52-week low during trading on Monday . The company traded as low as $12.61 and last traded at $13.06, with a volume of 2152795 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $13.79.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

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

Peabody Energy Trading Down 0.9 %

The company has a market cap of $1.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4.72 and a beta of 0.95. The company has a current ratio of 2.15, a quick ratio of 1.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $17.70 and its 200-day moving average price is $21.99.

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

Peabody Energy Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 11th. Investors of record on Wednesday, February 19th will be paid a $0.075 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 19th. This represents a $0.30 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.35%. Peabody Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 11.11%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in BTU. FMR LLC raised 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 acquiring an additional 611 shares in the last quarter. Byrne Asset Management LLC increased its position in shares of Peabody Energy by 63.3% in the fourth quarter. Byrne Asset Management LLC now owns 1,755 shares of the coal producer’s stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 680 shares during the period. Summit Investment Advisors Inc. raised its stake in Peabody Energy by 5.5% in the fourth quarter. Summit Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 13,234 shares of the coal producer’s stock valued at $277,000 after purchasing an additional 693 shares in the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its position in Peabody Energy by 167.2% during the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,189 shares of the coal producer’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 744 shares during the period. Finally, Janney Montgomery Scott LLC grew its stake in Peabody Energy by 3.7% during the fourth quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 24,556 shares of the coal producer’s stock worth $514,000 after buying an additional 885 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors 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.