Diversified Energy (NYSE:DEC) Lowered to Strong Sell Rating by Zacks Research

Zacks Research downgraded shares of Diversified Energy (NYSE:DEC) from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research report released on Monday morning,Zacks.com reports.

DEC has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Mizuho boosted their price objective on shares of Diversified Energy from $26.00 to $27.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Diversified Energy from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, October 18th. William Blair started coverage on Diversified Energy in a research note on Tuesday, November 18th. They set an “outperform” rating on the stock. Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Diversified Energy in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, Citigroup boosted their price target on Diversified Energy from $16.00 to $17.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 13th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $21.00.

Diversified Energy Trading Up 0.5%

Diversified Energy stock opened at $12.53 on Monday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $14.32 and a 200 day moving average price of $14.40. Diversified Energy has a 52 week low of $10.08 and a 52 week high of $17.24.

Diversified Energy Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 27th will be issued a $0.29 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 27th. This represents a $1.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 9.3%. Diversified Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 78.91%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, Director Randall S. Wade sold 2,100,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, January 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $13.28, for a total transaction of $27,888,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 7,501,585 shares in the company, valued at approximately $99,621,048.80. This represents a 21.87% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Ameriprise Financial Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Diversified Energy in the 2nd quarter worth about $53,894,000. Tejara Capital Ltd boosted its position in Diversified Energy by 1,903.1% in the second quarter. Tejara Capital Ltd now owns 1,905,333 shares of the company’s stock valued at $27,951,000 after buying an additional 1,810,214 shares in the last quarter. Aberdeen Group plc bought a new stake in Diversified Energy during the fourth quarter worth about $13,901,000. Citadel Advisors LLC grew its stake in Diversified Energy by 47.6% during the third quarter. Citadel Advisors LLC now owns 2,379,205 shares of the company’s stock worth $33,333,000 after buying an additional 767,378 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Diversified Energy by 177.9% during the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 1,187,856 shares of the company’s stock worth $16,060,000 after buying an additional 760,428 shares in the last quarter. 26.51% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Diversified Energy

Diversified Energy Company PLC (NYSE: DEC) is an independent oil and natural gas producer focused on the acquisition and optimization of legacy onshore assets in the United States. The company’s portfolio spans thousands of producing wells and extensive leasehold positions across core regions such as Appalachia, the Permian Basin and the Mid-Continent. By targeting mature properties, Diversified Energy seeks to enhance long-term recovery through operational efficiencies and capital discipline.

The company’s business model centers on fee-based infrastructure and midstream services that provide stable and predictable cash flows.