Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET) Shares Up 1.4% After Analyst Upgrade

Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET)’s stock price rose 1.4% during mid-day trading on Wednesday after TD Cowen raised their price target on the stock from $20.00 to $21.00. TD Cowen currently has a buy rating on the stock. Energy Transfer traded as high as $19.30 and last traded at $18.8650. Approximately 19,316,488 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 16% from the average daily volume of 16,603,844 shares. The stock had previously closed at $18.61.

Other analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Energy Transfer in a research note on Wednesday. Scotiabank reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Energy Transfer in a report on Friday, January 16th. Royal Bank Of Canada upgraded Energy Transfer to a “moderate buy” rating in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on Energy Transfer from $21.00 to $19.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Energy Transfer in a research note on Wednesday, December 24th. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Energy Transfer currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $21.27.

Trending Headlines about Energy Transfer

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade/price-target lift — TD Cowen raised its price target from $20 to $21 and now carries a “buy” rating, signaling upside from the sell-side that likely underpins buying interest today.
• Positive Sentiment: Record volumes and cashflow story — Coverage highlights ET’s record throughput, roughly $4.2B adjusted EBITDA in Q4 and a large organic growth capex/backlog that supports distribution sustainability and midstream cash flow resiliency. Value or Growth: 2 Ways to Invest in the Energy Transition
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend backed by record results — Commentary argues ET’s high (~7%+) yield is supported by improving leverage metrics and record operating results, which comforts income-focused investors. Energy Transfer’s Record Results Put Its 7.2%-Yielding Dividend on a Rock-Solid Foundation
• Positive Sentiment: Market reaction take — Several commentators say selling after the EPS miss could be an overreaction given the strong revenue/EBITDA trends and growth projects. Selling Energy Transfer stock on Q4 earnings miss may be a mistake
• Neutral Sentiment: Top-line beat and growth projects — Revenue came in at $25.32B (above estimates) and was up ~29.6% Y/Y, with new pipeline deals and expansion activity indicating ongoing organic growth. Energy Transfer Q4 Earnings Miss Estimates, Revenues Increase Y/Y
• Neutral Sentiment: Full earnings materials available — Investors can review the earnings transcript and slide deck for detail on segment performance, capex/backlog and guidance. Energy Transfer (ET) Q4 2025 Earnings Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: EPS miss and profit decline — GAAP/net income slid and EPS of $0.25 missed the $0.34 consensus; that headline hit is the primary short-term negative the market digested. Energy Transfer Q4 Earnings Release
• Negative Sentiment: Long-term shareholder returns critique — Some analysis calls out comparatively poor total returns to investors over recent years, a reminder that valuation and distribution risks remain for longer-term holders. Energy Transfer: Another Year Of Comparatively Poor Returns To Investors

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Energy Transfer

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Lee Financial Co grew its position in shares of 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 buying an additional 151,657 shares during the period. Eagle Global Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Energy Transfer by 6.0% during the 3rd quarter. Eagle Global Advisors LLC now owns 6,466,059 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $110,958,000 after acquiring an additional 363,623 shares during the last quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC grew its holdings in Energy Transfer by 223.7% during the second quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 1,690,771 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $30,654,000 after purchasing an additional 1,168,440 shares during the period. Jump Financial LLC increased its stake in Energy Transfer by 2,687.9% in the second quarter. Jump Financial LLC now owns 1,791,358 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $32,477,000 after purchasing an additional 1,727,104 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Maryland State Retirement & Pension System raised its holdings in Energy Transfer by 5.2% in 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 period. 38.22% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Energy Transfer Trading Up 1.4%

The company has a market capitalization of $64.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.97 and a beta of 0.66. The company has a quick ratio of 1.14, a current ratio of 1.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.50. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $17.29 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $17.14.

Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 17th. The pipeline company reported $0.25 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.34 by ($0.09). Energy Transfer had a return on equity of 10.71% and a net margin of 5.66%.The business had revenue of $25.32 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $23.56 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.29 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 29.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts forecast that Energy Transfer LP will post 1.46 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Energy Transfer Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 19th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 6th will be issued a dividend of $0.335 per share. This is an increase from Energy Transfer’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.33. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 6th. This represents a $1.34 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.1%. Energy Transfer’s dividend payout ratio is 107.20%.

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.