UniSuper Management Pty Ltd Raises Stock Holdings in Alliant Energy Co. (NASDAQ:LNT)

UniSuper Management Pty Ltd raised its position in shares of Alliant Energy Co. (NASDAQ:LNT) by 20.3% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 36,366 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 6,133 shares during the period. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd’s holdings in Alliant Energy were worth $2,151,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Larson Financial Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of Alliant Energy by 7,083.3% during the third quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 431 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 425 shares in the last quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. purchased a new position in Alliant Energy during the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. ORG Partners LLC raised its holdings in Alliant Energy by 517.0% in the 4th quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 617 shares of the company’s stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 517 shares in the last quarter. WASHINGTON TRUST Co lifted its position in shares of Alliant Energy by 251.2% in the 4th quarter. WASHINGTON TRUST Co now owns 878 shares of the company’s stock worth $52,000 after purchasing an additional 628 shares during the period. Finally, Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Alliant Energy during the 4th quarter valued at about $53,000. Institutional investors own 79.90% of the company’s stock.

Alliant Energy Stock Performance

Shares of Alliant Energy stock opened at $63.58 on Monday. Alliant Energy Co. has a 1 year low of $47.23 and a 1 year high of $66.54. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $61.73 and its 200 day moving average is $60.68. The stock has a market cap of $16.32 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.64, a PEG ratio of 2.83 and a beta of 0.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.33, a current ratio of 0.86 and a quick ratio of 0.72.

Alliant Energy (NASDAQ:LNT) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 20th. The company reported $0.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.68 by $0.02. Alliant Energy had a net margin of 17.33% and a return on equity of 11.39%. The firm had revenue of $976.00 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.14 billion. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Alliant Energy Co. will post 3.23 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Alliant Energy Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, February 18th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 31st were paid a dividend of $0.5075 per share. This represents a $2.03 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.19%. This is an increase from Alliant Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.48. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 31st. Alliant Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 75.46%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have weighed in on LNT shares. Guggenheim reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $57.00 target price on shares of Alliant Energy in a report on Monday, February 24th. UBS Group upped their price target on Alliant Energy from $65.00 to $68.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, March 21st. BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on Alliant Energy from $60.00 to $66.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a research report on Monday, February 24th. Finally, Scotiabank cut shares of Alliant Energy from a “sector outperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating and boosted their target price for the company from $64.00 to $67.00 in a report on Thursday, December 12th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $63.55.

About Alliant Energy

Alliant Energy Corporation operates as a utility holding company that provides regulated electricity and natural gas services in the United States. It operates in three segments: Utility Electric Operations, Utility Gas Operations, and Utility Other. The company, through its subsidiary, Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL), primarily generates and distributes electricity, and distributes and transports natural gas to retail customers in Iowa; sells electricity to wholesale customers in Minnesota, Illinois, and Iowa; and generates and distributes steam in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.