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Here's Why You Should Add UGI Stock to Your Portfolio Now
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UGI Corporation’s (UGI - Free Report) systematic capital expenditures, accretive acquisitions and customer additions are likely to enhance its existing operations. Also, a strong liquidity position and regular dividend payments act as tailwinds for the company.
Let’s analyze the factors that make this currently Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock an ideal investment bet. Also, it has a VGM Score of B. Our research shows that stocks with a Style Score of A or B in combination with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 offer the best upside potential. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Shares of the company have surged 2.7% in the past month, outperforming the industry’s rise of 2.4%.
One-Month Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Northward Growth Projections
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2021 earnings stands at $3 per share, indicating a 12.36% improvement from the prior fiscal year’s reported figure. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2022 earnings stands at $3.26 per share, implying an 8.67% increase from the previous fiscal year’s reported number. The long-term (three-five years) earnings growth rate is pegged at 8%.
Prudent Strategic Moves
The utility’s acquisition of Columbia Midstream Group, LLC, now known as UGI Appalachia, showed consistent strength. Also, the company’s buyout of GHI Energy, LLC, a renewable natural gas company operating in California, is helping it expand its renewable product offerings and support its environmentally-friendly goals.
Also, the utility inked a deal to buy Mountaineer for $540 million including $140 million of debt. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of the calendar year. Further, in second-quarter fiscal 2021, its unit UGI Energy Services, LLC acquired a 49% interest through a joint venture (JV) in Pine Run Midstream for $56 million, which contributed to its quarterly earnings.
Moreover, in May, it entered into a JV to develop dairy farm digester projects to produce renewable natural gas (RNG) in upstate New York.
Steady Dividend Raises
Backed by its operating performance and efficient capital deployment, the company could reward its shareholders through annual dividend hikes and share repurchases. In May, 2021, UGI Corp.’s board of directors increased its quarterly dividend rate to 34.5 cents per share or $1.38 on an annual basis, up 4.5% from the previous quarterly rate of 33 cents.
This marks the company’s 137th consecutive year of dividend payment and 34th straight year of annual dividend raise. Also, this increase is in line with the company’s target to up its dividend by 4% in the long term. Moreover, the utility has a current dividend yield of 2.92% compared with the S&P 500 composite’s 1.33% average.
Strong Financial Position
The company exited the fiscal second quarter with $1.6 billion liquidity, which is adequate to meet its current debt obligations. Also, as of Mar 31, 2021, it had total debt of $6,344 million, slightly down from $6,381 million on Sep 30, 2020. Also, its total debt to total capital ratio came in at 56.79 at the end of second-quarter fiscal 2021, down from 60.67 at the end of fiscal 2020.
Its times interest earned ratio was 4.58 for the second quarter of fiscal 2021, up from 3.50, sequentially. The ratio of more than 1 underlines the company’s ability to meet its debt obligations in the near future without any trouble.
Solid Return on Equity (ROE)
ROE is a financial metric that helps an investor understand how efficiently the company is using its shareholders’ funds for generating returns. The company’s ROE for the trailing 12 months is 14.86% compared with the industry’s 12.67%, reflecting its efficiency in utilizing its stockholders’ money.
Stocks to Consider
A few other top-ranked utilities are CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (CNP - Free Report) , NewJersey Resources Corporation (NJR - Free Report) and Entergy Corporation (ETR - Free Report) , all carrying the same Zacks Rank as UGI Corp. at present.
CenterPoint Energy delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 15.22%, on average. The company has a long-term (three to five years) earnings growth rate of 4.27%.
NewJersey Resources has a long-term earnings growth rate of 7.1%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2021 earnings has been revised 9.5% upward in the past 60 days.
Entergy Corporation has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 10.04%, on average, and a long-term earnings growth rate of 5.10%.
+1,500% Growth: One of 2021’s Most Exciting Investment Opportunities
In addition to the stocks you read about above, would you like to see Zacks’ top picks to capitalize on the Internet of Things (IoT)? It is one of the fastest-growing technologies in history, with an estimated 77 billion devices to be connected by 2025. That works out to 127 new devices per second.
Zacks has released a special report to help you capitalize on the Internet of Things’s exponential growth. It reveals 4 under-the-radar stocks that could be some of the most profitable holdings in your portfolio in 2021 and beyond.
Image: Bigstock
Here's Why You Should Add UGI Stock to Your Portfolio Now
UGI Corporation’s (UGI - Free Report) systematic capital expenditures, accretive acquisitions and customer additions are likely to enhance its existing operations. Also, a strong liquidity position and regular dividend payments act as tailwinds for the company.
Let’s analyze the factors that make this currently Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock an ideal investment bet. Also, it has a VGM Score of B. Our research shows that stocks with a Style Score of A or B in combination with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 offer the best upside potential. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Shares of the company have surged 2.7% in the past month, outperforming the industry’s rise of 2.4%.
One-Month Price Performance
Northward Growth Projections
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2021 earnings stands at $3 per share, indicating a 12.36% improvement from the prior fiscal year’s reported figure. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2022 earnings stands at $3.26 per share, implying an 8.67% increase from the previous fiscal year’s reported number. The long-term (three-five years) earnings growth rate is pegged at 8%.
Prudent Strategic Moves
The utility’s acquisition of Columbia Midstream Group, LLC, now known as UGI Appalachia, showed consistent strength. Also, the company’s buyout of GHI Energy, LLC, a renewable natural gas company operating in California, is helping it expand its renewable product offerings and support its environmentally-friendly goals.
Also, the utility inked a deal to buy Mountaineer for $540 million including $140 million of debt. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of the calendar year. Further, in second-quarter fiscal 2021, its unit UGI Energy Services, LLC acquired a 49% interest through a joint venture (JV) in Pine Run Midstream for $56 million, which contributed to its quarterly earnings.
Moreover, in May, it entered into a JV to develop dairy farm digester projects to produce renewable natural gas (RNG) in upstate New York.
Steady Dividend Raises
Backed by its operating performance and efficient capital deployment, the company could reward its shareholders through annual dividend hikes and share repurchases. In May, 2021, UGI Corp.’s board of directors increased its quarterly dividend rate to 34.5 cents per share or $1.38 on an annual basis, up 4.5% from the previous quarterly rate of 33 cents.
This marks the company’s 137th consecutive year of dividend payment and 34th straight year of annual dividend raise. Also, this increase is in line with the company’s target to up its dividend by 4% in the long term. Moreover, the utility has a current dividend yield of 2.92% compared with the S&P 500 composite’s 1.33% average.
Strong Financial Position
The company exited the fiscal second quarter with $1.6 billion liquidity, which is adequate to meet its current debt obligations. Also, as of Mar 31, 2021, it had total debt of $6,344 million, slightly down from $6,381 million on Sep 30, 2020. Also, its total debt to total capital ratio came in at 56.79 at the end of second-quarter fiscal 2021, down from 60.67 at the end of fiscal 2020.
Its times interest earned ratio was 4.58 for the second quarter of fiscal 2021, up from 3.50, sequentially. The ratio of more than 1 underlines the company’s ability to meet its debt obligations in the near future without any trouble.
Solid Return on Equity (ROE)
ROE is a financial metric that helps an investor understand how efficiently the company is using its shareholders’ funds for generating returns. The company’s ROE for the trailing 12 months is 14.86% compared with the industry’s 12.67%, reflecting its efficiency in utilizing its stockholders’ money.
Stocks to Consider
A few other top-ranked utilities are CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (CNP - Free Report) , NewJersey Resources Corporation (NJR - Free Report) and Entergy Corporation (ETR - Free Report) , all carrying the same Zacks Rank as UGI Corp. at present.
CenterPoint Energy delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 15.22%, on average. The company has a long-term (three to five years) earnings growth rate of 4.27%.
NewJersey Resources has a long-term earnings growth rate of 7.1%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2021 earnings has been revised 9.5% upward in the past 60 days.
Entergy Corporation has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 10.04%, on average, and a long-term earnings growth rate of 5.10%.
+1,500% Growth: One of 2021’s Most Exciting Investment Opportunities
In addition to the stocks you read about above, would you like to see Zacks’ top picks to capitalize on the Internet of Things (IoT)? It is one of the fastest-growing technologies in history, with an estimated 77 billion devices to be connected by 2025. That works out to 127 new devices per second.
Zacks has released a special report to help you capitalize on the Internet of Things’s exponential growth. It reveals 4 under-the-radar stocks that could be some of the most profitable holdings in your portfolio in 2021 and beyond.
Click here to download this report FREE >>