LPL Financial LLC Boosts Stake in EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE:EOG)

LPL Financial LLC increased its stake in shares of EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE:EOG) by 12.5% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 464,681 shares of the energy exploration company’s stock after buying an additional 51,487 shares during the quarter. LPL Financial LLC’s holdings in EOG Resources were worth $56,961,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in EOG. Financial Life Planners purchased a new position in EOG Resources during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Y.D. More Investments Ltd raised its holdings in shares of EOG Resources by 149.4% during the fourth quarter. Y.D. More Investments Ltd now owns 202 shares of the energy exploration company’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 121 shares during the last quarter. Mainstream Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in EOG Resources during the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. Decker Retirement Planning Inc. purchased a new stake in EOG Resources in the fourth quarter valued at $27,000. Finally, Keystone Financial Group Inc. acquired a new stake in EOG Resources during the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. 89.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, COO Jeffrey R. Leitzell sold 4,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $120.89, for a total transaction of $483,560.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now directly owns 42,703 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,162,365.67. This trade represents a 8.56 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. 0.30% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

EOG Resources Trading Down 1.8 %

Shares of EOG opened at $126.84 on Friday. EOG Resources, Inc. has a 52-week low of $115.78 and a 52-week high of $139.67. The stock has a market cap of $70.26 billion, a PE ratio of 10.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.58 and a beta of 1.25. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $128.43 and its two-hundred day moving average is $127.61. The company has a quick ratio of 2.07, a current ratio of 2.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13.

EOG Resources (NYSE:EOG) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 28th. The energy exploration company reported $2.74 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.55 by $0.19. The firm had revenue of $5.59 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.96 billion. EOG Resources had a net margin of 29.18% and a return on equity of 23.77%. Research analysts forecast that EOG Resources, Inc. will post 11.47 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

EOG Resources Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 30th. Investors of record on Wednesday, April 16th will be issued a $0.975 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 16th. This represents a $3.90 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.07%. EOG Resources’s dividend payout ratio is presently 34.73%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have recently commented on EOG. Benchmark restated a “hold” rating on shares of EOG Resources in a research note on Monday, January 13th. UBS Group lowered their price objective on EOG Resources from $165.00 to $160.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, March 4th. Citigroup cut their target price on shares of EOG Resources from $134.00 to $125.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Monday, March 17th. Royal Bank of Canada raised shares of EOG Resources from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and increased their price target for the stock from $150.00 to $155.00 in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. Finally, Mizuho reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a $140.00 price objective (down previously from $148.00) on shares of EOG Resources in a report on Tuesday. Thirteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, EOG Resources currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $144.67.

EOG Resources Company Profile

EOG Resources, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, explores for, develops, produces, and markets crude oil, natural gas liquids, and natural gas primarily in producing basins in the United States, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and internationally. The company was formerly known as Enron Oil & Gas Company.