EQT (NYSE:EQT) Upgraded to “Strong-Buy” at Zacks Research

Zacks Research upgraded shares of EQT (NYSE:EQT) from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note published on Tuesday morning,Zacks.com reports.

EQT has been the subject of a number of other reports. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on EQT from $66.00 to $70.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Stephens increased their target price on EQT from $70.00 to $71.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. Capital One Financial boosted their price target on shares of EQT from $55.00 to $58.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 24th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of EQT in a research note on Sunday, January 18th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of EQT in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have issued a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $66.70.

EQT Stock Up 4.0%

EQT stock opened at $67.92 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $42.44 billion, a PE ratio of 20.52, a PEG ratio of 1.25 and a beta of 0.72. EQT has a 12-month low of $43.57 and a 12-month high of $67.99. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $58.97 and its 200 day moving average is $56.34. The company has a quick ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 0.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27.

EQT (NYSE:EQT) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 17th. The oil and gas producer reported $0.90 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.76 by $0.14. EQT had a net margin of 23.59% and a return on equity of 7.25%. The firm had revenue of $2.09 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.13 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.69 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 24.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that EQT will post 3.27 EPS for the current fiscal year.

EQT Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 2nd. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 17th were issued a dividend of $0.165 per share. This represents a $0.66 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 17th. EQT’s payout ratio is currently 19.94%.

Insider Activity

In other EQT news, insider Lesley Evancho sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.69, for a total value of $1,213,800.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 184,607 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,203,798.83. This trade represents a 9.77% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CAO Todd James sold 32,514 shares of EQT stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $61.12, for a total transaction of $1,987,255.68. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 58,796 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,593,611.52. This represents a 35.61% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 61,158 shares of company stock worth $3,742,983 over the last quarter. Insiders own 0.72% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of EQT

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. boosted its position in EQT by 8,000.9% in the third quarter. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. now owns 153,431 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock worth $8,351,000 after purchasing an additional 151,537 shares during the last quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp raised its stake in shares of EQT by 116.4% during the 3rd quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp now owns 534,485 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock worth $29,092,000 after purchasing an additional 287,538 shares during the period. First American Bank purchased a new position in shares of EQT in the 3rd quarter worth about $1,915,000. Adams Natural Resources Fund Inc. grew its position in EQT by 97.1% during the third quarter. Adams Natural Resources Fund Inc. now owns 220,500 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock valued at $12,002,000 after buying an additional 108,600 shares during the period. Finally, Canada Post Corp Registered Pension Plan increased its holdings in EQT by 131.7% during the third quarter. Canada Post Corp Registered Pension Plan now owns 87,629 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock worth $4,772,000 after buying an additional 49,803 shares during the last quarter. 90.81% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting EQT

Here are the key news stories impacting EQT this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks upgraded EQT to a #1 (Strong Buy) and added it to momentum and income lists, highlighting favorable earnings revisions and making the stock a top pick for momentum-oriented and income-focused investors. EQT (EQT) Upgraded to Strong Buy: Here’s Why
• Positive Sentiment: Truist (new coverage) initiated on EQT with a buy/strong-buy view and set a $74 price target, providing incremental analyst support and signaling ~9% upside to the current level. Analyst initiation often draws fresh interest from institutional buyers. Truist Securities initiates coverage of EQT (EQT) with buy recommendation
• Positive Sentiment: EQT expanded and priced a cash tender offer (upsized to $1.4B) to repurchase several series of senior notes and disclosed amounts accepted — a move that can lower interest expense, extend or optimize maturities, and improve leverage metrics if executed as planned. That debt action reduces a key balance-sheet overhang and supports valuation. EQT Announces Pricing of its Tender Offer …
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst estimate revisions and Zacks commentary indicate upward EPS momentum for EQT, supporting near-term upside expectations and reinforcing the rationale behind recent upgrades. Rising estimates are a common technical/ fundamental trigger for momentum flows. Why EQT (EQT) Might be Well Poised for a Surge
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader industry reporting notes U.S. natural-gas drillers pushing to sell more directly (removing middlemen), a structural shift that could boost realized prices for producers like EQT over time but depends on execution and market access. This is a sector tailwind but not an immediate company-specific catalyst. Top US Natural Gas Drillers Seek to Remove Middlemen From Sales

About EQT

EQT Corporation (NYSE: EQT) is a U.S.-based energy company focused on the exploration, development and production of natural gas. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the company concentrates its upstream operations in the Appalachian Basin, producing from major shale formations including the Marcellus and Utica. EQT’s primary product is natural gas, with production activities supported by associated liquids and conventional gas assets where applicable.

In addition to drilling and well development, EQT operates and coordinates the infrastructure and commercial activities necessary to bring gas to market.