Nisa Investment Advisors LLC Lowers Stake in Avista Corporation $AVA

Nisa Investment Advisors LLC cut its position in Avista Corporation (NYSE:AVA) by 19.6% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 61,921 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after selling 15,099 shares during the period. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC owned about 0.08% of Avista worth $2,386,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC boosted its holdings in Avista by 9.7% in the 4th quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 19,399 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $751,000 after buying an additional 1,723 shares during the period. A. D. Beadell Investment Counsel Inc. increased its stake in Avista by 1.8% in the 4th quarter. A. D. Beadell Investment Counsel Inc. now owns 44,390 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $1,710,000 after buying an additional 785 shares in the last quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC raised its holdings in Avista by 6.2% during the fourth quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 58,182 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $2,242,000 after acquiring an additional 3,376 shares during the period. SG Americas Securities LLC raised its holdings in Avista by 28.1% during the fourth quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 26,740 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $1,031,000 after acquiring an additional 5,858 shares during the period. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. lifted its position in shares of Avista by 100.4% in the fourth quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 343,989 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $13,257,000 after acquiring an additional 172,330 shares in the last quarter. 85.24% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, SVP Bryan Alden Cox sold 1,768 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $40.18, for a total value of $71,038.24. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 8,401 shares in the company, valued at approximately $337,552.18. The trade was a 17.39% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.96% of the company’s stock.

Avista Trading Down 0.1%

Shares of AVA stock opened at $41.31 on Friday. Avista Corporation has a 12-month low of $35.50 and a 12-month high of $43.50. The company has a current ratio of 0.83, a quick ratio of 0.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.04. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $40.73 and its 200-day moving average price is $39.52. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.36, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 0.23.

Avista (NYSE:AVA) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Saturday, January 31st. The utilities provider reported $0.88 EPS for the quarter. Avista had a return on equity of 7.29% and a net margin of 9.83%. Equities research analysts predict that Avista Corporation will post 2.3 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Avista Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 13th. Investors of record on Wednesday, February 25th were issued a $0.4925 dividend. This represents a $1.97 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.8%. This is a boost from Avista’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.49. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 25th. Avista’s payout ratio is 82.77%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts recently issued reports on the company. Zacks Research cut Avista from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Barclays began coverage on Avista in a report on Monday, March 9th. They issued an “equal weight” rating and a $40.00 price target on the stock. Wall Street Zen downgraded Avista from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Saturday, March 28th. KeyCorp reiterated a “sector weight” rating on shares of Avista in a research report on Tuesday, January 27th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group lowered their target price on shares of Avista from $41.00 to $39.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $39.50.

Avista Profile

Avista Corporation operates as an integrated energy company providing electric and natural gas delivery services to residential, commercial and industrial customers in the Pacific Northwest. Through its regulated utility operations, the company maintains and upgrades an extensive transmission and distribution network, delivering reliable energy to approximately 400,000 electric customers and 324,000 natural gas customers across Washington, Oregon and Idaho. In addition to its core utility business, Avista invests in owned generation assets, including hydroelectric, natural gas–fired, coal and wind facilities, to support system reliability and long-term supply planning.

Founded in 1889 as the Spokane and Inland Empire Water Power Company, the business adopted the Avista name in 1999 to reflect its growing energy portfolio and strategic focus on innovation.