AngloGold Ashanti (NYSE:AU) Shares Gap Down to $23.84

AngloGold Ashanti plc (NYSE:AU)’s stock price gapped down before the market opened on Monday . The stock had previously closed at $23.84, but opened at $22.31. AngloGold Ashanti shares last traded at $22.19, with a volume of 1,190,388 shares trading hands.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have recently commented on the company. HSBC cut AngloGold Ashanti from a “hold” rating to a “reduce” rating in a research note on Friday, April 19th. StockNews.com upgraded AngloGold Ashanti from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, February 23rd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of AngloGold Ashanti from $23.00 to $31.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 17th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $24.25.

AngloGold Ashanti Trading Up 0.4 %

The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $21.27 and its 200-day simple moving average is $19.13.

AngloGold Ashanti Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a semi-annual dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 15th were given a dividend of $0.19 per share. This represents a dividend yield of 1.1%. This is a positive change from AngloGold Ashanti’s previous semi-annual dividend of $0.03. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 14th.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On AngloGold Ashanti

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of AU. CWM LLC boosted its position in shares of AngloGold Ashanti by 36.1% in the 1st quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,890 shares of the mining company’s stock worth $42,000 after purchasing an additional 501 shares in the last quarter. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. acquired a new stake in AngloGold Ashanti in the third quarter worth about $40,000. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its stake in shares of AngloGold Ashanti by 108.9% during the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 2,505 shares of the mining company’s stock worth $56,000 after acquiring an additional 1,306 shares during the last quarter. Gradient Investments LLC increased its holdings in shares of AngloGold Ashanti by 187.9% during the third quarter. Gradient Investments LLC now owns 3,677 shares of the mining company’s stock valued at $58,000 after acquiring an additional 2,400 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. raised its position in shares of AngloGold Ashanti by 132.0% in the 4th quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 4,023 shares of the mining company’s stock valued at $75,000 after purchasing an additional 2,289 shares during the last quarter. 36.09% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About AngloGold Ashanti

AngloGold Ashanti plc operates as a gold mining company in Africa, the Americas, and Australia. The company primarily explores for gold, as well as produces silver and sulphuric acid as by-products. Its flagship property is a 100% owned Geita project located in the Lake Victoria goldfields of the Mwanza region in north-western Tanzania.