Alliance Resource Partners’ (ARLP) “Buy” Rating Reaffirmed at Benchmark

Benchmark restated their buy rating on shares of Alliance Resource Partners (NASDAQ:ARLP) in a research note published on Tuesday morning,Benzinga reports. Benchmark currently has a $29.00 price target on the energy company’s stock, up from their previous price target of $27.00.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the company. StockNews.com cut Alliance Resource Partners from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 15th. Singular Research lowered Alliance Resource Partners from a “strong-buy” rating to a “moderate buy” rating in a research note on Monday, December 2nd.

Alliance Resource Partners Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ ARLP opened at $27.98 on Tuesday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $26.99 and a two-hundred day moving average of $25.64. The stock has a market cap of $3.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.95 and a beta of 1.16. Alliance Resource Partners has a twelve month low of $18.32 and a twelve month high of $30.56. The company has a current ratio of 2.36, a quick ratio of 1.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24.

Alliance Resource Partners (NASDAQ:ARLP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 3rd. The energy company reported $0.22 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.60 by ($0.38). Alliance Resource Partners had a return on equity of 23.74% and a net margin of 18.52%. On average, research analysts forecast that Alliance Resource Partners will post 3.19 earnings per share for the current year.

Alliance Resource Partners Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 14th. Investors of record on Friday, February 7th will be issued a dividend of $0.70 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 7th. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 10.01%. Alliance Resource Partners’s payout ratio is currently 79.55%.

Insider Activity

In other news, SVP Timothy J. Whelan sold 10,000 shares of Alliance Resource Partners stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $28.00, for a total value of $280,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 157,946 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,422,488. This trade represents a 5.95 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 16.80% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Alliance Resource Partners

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC bought a new stake in shares of Alliance Resource Partners in the 4th quarter worth $26,000. USA Financial Formulas acquired a new position in Alliance Resource Partners during the fourth quarter worth about $33,000. Eastern Bank acquired a new stake in Alliance Resource Partners in the 3rd quarter valued at about $72,000. Bogart Wealth LLC bought a new position in shares of Alliance Resource Partners during the 4th quarter valued at about $127,000. Finally, MONECO Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Alliance Resource Partners in the 4th quarter worth approximately $201,000. 18.11% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Alliance Resource Partners Company Profile

Alliance Resource Partners, L.P., a diversified natural resource company, produces and markets coal primarily to utilities and industrial users in the United States. The company operates through four segments: Illinois Basin Coal Operations, Appalachia Coal Operations, Oil & Gas Royalties, and Coal Royalties.