Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund bought a new stake in National Fuel Gas Company (NYSE:NFG – Free Report) in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund bought 33,495 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock, valued at approximately $3,147,000.
Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Phocas Financial Corp. purchased a new position in National Fuel Gas during the 4th quarter worth approximately $7,086,000. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. lifted its stake in National Fuel Gas by 84.6% in the fourth quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. now owns 61,728 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock valued at $4,942,000 after buying an additional 28,293 shares during the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC boosted its holdings in shares of National Fuel Gas by 8.6% in the fourth quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 315,753 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock valued at $25,911,000 after acquiring an additional 24,988 shares during the period. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. acquired a new stake in shares of National Fuel Gas in the first quarter valued at approximately $63,863,000. Finally, KBC Group NV grew its position in shares of National Fuel Gas by 294.9% during the fourth quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 13,976 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock worth $1,119,000 after acquiring an additional 10,437 shares during the last quarter. 73.96% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
NFG has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. KeyCorp started coverage on shares of National Fuel Gas in a report on Tuesday, April 7th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $110.00 target price on the stock. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of National Fuel Gas from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has issued a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $105.50.
National Fuel Gas Stock Up 1.9%
National Fuel Gas stock opened at $82.51 on Friday. National Fuel Gas Company has a twelve month low of $75.17 and a twelve month high of $97.06. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $78.75 and a two-hundred day moving average of $84.53. The company has a current ratio of 0.62, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.46, a PEG ratio of 1.76 and a beta of 0.37.
National Fuel Gas (NYSE:NFG – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The oil and gas producer reported $1.54 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.44 by $0.10. National Fuel Gas had a return on equity of 19.61% and a net margin of 26.97%.The business had revenue of $537.50 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $564.33 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.64 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.1% compared to the same quarter last year. National Fuel Gas has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.400-7.600 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that National Fuel Gas Company will post 7.66 earnings per share for the current year.
National Fuel Gas Increases Dividend
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, June 30th were paid a $0.555 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, June 30th. This represents a $2.22 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.7%. This is an increase from National Fuel Gas’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.54. National Fuel Gas’s dividend payout ratio is presently 30.83%.
Trending Headlines about National Fuel Gas
Here are the key news stories impacting National Fuel Gas this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Quarterly earnings exceeded expectations. Fiscal third-quarter adjusted EPS was $1.54, above the $1.44-$1.47 analyst consensus, while revenue increased 1.1% year over year to $537.5 million. National Fuel Gas Q3 Earnings Surpass Estimates, Revenues Increase Y/Y
- Positive Sentiment: Cash flow and shareholder returns remained strong. Operating cash flow reached $1.035 billion during the first nine months of fiscal 2026, with $280 million in free cash flow. The board also approved a 4% dividend increase to $2.22 annually, extending NFG’s streak to 56 consecutive years of dividend growth.
- Positive Sentiment: Ohio utility acquisition remains on track. National Fuel completed financing and received final regulatory approval for the CenterPoint Energy Ohio gas utility acquisition, which is expected to close October 1, 2026. Management expects the deal to expand its regulated rate base and support long-term earnings growth.
- Positive Sentiment: Pipeline and long-term growth opportunities improved. NFG expanded its Line N pipeline project and signed a 20-year agreement for incremental firm transportation capacity. Management continues to forecast average annual EPS growth of approximately 7%-10% through 2029.
- Neutral Sentiment: Regulated utility results improved, but other operations were mixed. Utility earnings increased on higher customer margins and New York rate benefits, while Pipeline and Storage earnings were essentially flat. The upstream segment benefited from hedges and higher realized prices after hedging, partially offsetting weaker production.
- Negative Sentiment: Fiscal 2026 guidance was reduced. Adjusted EPS guidance was lowered from $7.45-$7.75 to $7.40-$7.60, reflecting expected production of 420-430 Bcf versus the prior 425-440 Bcf forecast. Third-quarter production fell 7% year over year, while lease operating, gathering and depreciation costs increased.
- Negative Sentiment: Profitability declined year over year. GAAP EPS fell to $1.45 from $1.64, and acquisition-related transaction and financing costs contributed to a $7.7 million corporate loss. Capital expenditure guidance also increased, adding to near-term spending requirements.
National Fuel Gas Company Profile
National Fuel Gas Company (NYSE: NFG) is a diversified energy company engaged primarily in the production, gathering, transmission, distribution and marketing of natural gas. The company operates through four principal segments: Exploration & Production, Pipeline & Storage, Utilities, and Energy Marketing. Its integrated asset base spans upstream development in the Appalachian Basin, regional pipeline networks, underground storage facilities, and regulated utility distribution systems.
In its Exploration & Production segment, National Fuel Gas focuses on developing natural gas reserves in the Marcellus and Utica shales, leveraging modern drilling and completion techniques.
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