Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET) Hits New 52-Week High After Analyst Upgrade

Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET) hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday after Stifel Nicolaus raised their price target on the stock from $23.00 to $25.00. Stifel Nicolaus currently has a buy rating on the stock. Energy Transfer traded as high as $20.67 and last traded at $20.3840, with a volume of 42129858 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $20.08.

Several other equities analysts have also issued reports on ET. Truist Financial started coverage on Energy Transfer in a report on Tuesday, March 24th. They set a “buy” rating and a $23.00 price objective on the stock. Scotiabank restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Energy Transfer in a research report on Friday, January 16th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Energy Transfer from $19.00 to $21.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 10th. Barclays reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $22.00 price target (down from $25.00) on shares of Energy Transfer in a research report on Monday, January 12th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on Energy Transfer from $23.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, March 13th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $22.00.

Key Stories Impacting Energy Transfer

Here are the key news stories impacting Energy Transfer this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Company raised 2026 adjusted EBITDA guidance to $18.20–$18.60B, increased its common distribution and reported record volumes — management cited growth projects and expansions feeding near?term cash flow, supporting the dividend and valuation. Energy Transfer (ET) Is Up 5.0% After Raising 2026 EBITDA Guidance And Distributions
• Positive Sentiment: Stifel Nicolaus raised its price target from $23 to $25 and initiated/maintained a buy view, giving the stock meaningful upside versus recent levels and likely helping near?term flows. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage noting Jim Cramer’s mid?2025 endorsement of ET is looking vindicated, which can attract retail/income investors chasing yield and momentum. 9 Months Later: Did Jim Cramer’s Top Dividend Pick for Retirees Deliver?
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst pieces highlight ET’s strategic positioning to supply large incremental power demand from AI/data centers — a structural demand tailwind but one that will require capital and time to fully monetize. Energy Transfer Q1 Earnings: Positioned For AI Power Boom
• Neutral Sentiment: Deeper Seeking Alpha analysis notes margin compression and risks even as ET’s asset “moat” remains intact — useful context for longer?term investors but mixed for near?term price action. Energy Transfer: AI Needs Terawatts, Not Just Chips
• Neutral Sentiment: Sector news — other energy/infra names (Ormat beat, Occidental results, Ares buying Rover stake) are moving capital within the midstream/infra group; these are background factors that may shift flows but don’t directly change ET’s fundamentals. Ormat Technologies Q1 Earnings and Revenues Beat Estimates Ares Management Acquires Stake in Rover Pipeline Occidental Tops Q1 Earnings Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Q1 EPS missed consensus ($0.35 vs. $0.40) and margins showed pressure; while revenue was strong, the EPS miss and margin trends are reasons for some investor caution on near?term profitability.

Institutional Trading of Energy Transfer

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Lee Financial Co boosted its position in Energy Transfer by 359.7% during the 3rd quarter. Lee Financial Co now owns 193,817 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $3,326,000 after purchasing an additional 151,657 shares during the period. Eagle Global Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Energy Transfer by 6.0% during the third quarter. Eagle Global Advisors LLC now owns 6,466,059 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $110,958,000 after purchasing an additional 363,623 shares during the last quarter. North Star Investment Management Corp. lifted its position in shares of Energy Transfer by 100.1% during the fourth quarter. North Star Investment Management Corp. now owns 161,523 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $2,664,000 after purchasing an additional 80,786 shares during the last quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System lifted its position in shares of Energy Transfer by 5.2% during the third quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System now owns 2,927,436 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $50,235,000 after purchasing an additional 144,037 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fidelis Capital Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Energy Transfer by 150.2% during the third quarter. Fidelis Capital Partners LLC now owns 105,003 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $1,802,000 after purchasing an additional 63,043 shares during the last quarter. 38.22% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Energy Transfer Stock Up 0.2%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.50, a current ratio of 1.22 and a quick ratio of 0.90. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $19.06 and its 200 day moving average price is $17.82. The firm has a market cap of $68.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.60, a PEG ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 0.57.

Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 5th. The pipeline company reported $0.35 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.40 by ($0.05). The company had revenue of $27.77 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $25.78 billion. Energy Transfer had a return on equity of 9.95% and a net margin of 4.66%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 32.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.36 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Energy Transfer LP will post 1.52 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Energy Transfer Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 20th. Investors of record on Friday, May 8th will be paid a dividend of $0.3375 per share. This represents a $1.35 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.8%. This is a positive change from Energy Transfer’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.34. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 8th. Energy Transfer’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 111.67%.

About Energy Transfer

Energy Transfer (NYSE: ET) is a Dallas-based midstream energy company that develops and operates infrastructure for the transportation, storage and processing of hydrocarbons. The company’s operations focus on moving and storing natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs), crude oil and refined products through an integrated network of pipelines, terminals, storage facilities and processing plants. Energy Transfer provides core midstream services such as gathering, compression, fractionation, processing, and bulk transportation to support production and downstream supply chains.

Its asset base spans an extensive network across the United States, connecting producing regions, processing centers, petrochemical hubs and coastal and inland markets.