Vermilion Energy (NYSE:VET) Lifted to “Overweight” at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Vermilion Energy (NYSE:VET – Get Rating) (TSE:VET) from a neutral rating to an overweight rating in a report issued on Tuesday morning, The Fly reports.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. Scotiabank reduced their target price on shares of Vermilion Energy from C$32.00 to C$29.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 17th. Desjardins reduced their target price on shares of Vermilion Energy from C$38.00 to C$35.00 in a research note on Monday, January 9th. CIBC reduced their target price on shares of Vermilion Energy from C$36.00 to C$26.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 17th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Vermilion Energy from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, March 10th. Finally, National Bank Financial reduced their target price on shares of Vermilion Energy from C$50.00 to C$29.00 in a research note on Wednesday, January 11th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $32.44.

Vermilion Energy Stock Up 2.3 %

VET opened at $13.42 on Tuesday. Vermilion Energy has a fifty-two week low of $12.78 and a fifty-two week high of $30.17. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.78. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $14.48 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $18.79. The company has a market capitalization of $2.18 billion, a P/E ratio of 2.23 and a beta of 2.22.

Vermilion Energy Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 17th. Investors of record on Friday, March 31st will be issued a $0.073 dividend. This represents a $0.29 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.18%. This is a boost from Vermilion Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.06. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 30th. Vermilion Energy’s payout ratio is currently 3.99%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Vermilion Energy

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of VET. Raymond James & Associates grew its holdings in shares of Vermilion Energy by 227.0% in the 1st quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 38,432 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $808,000 after buying an additional 26,679 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in Vermilion Energy in the 1st quarter valued at $238,000. Citigroup Inc. lifted its position in Vermilion Energy by 219.8% in the 1st quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 15,491 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $325,000 after acquiring an additional 10,647 shares in the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. lifted its position in Vermilion Energy by 8,245.6% in the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 4,757 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $99,000 after acquiring an additional 4,700 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Natixis Advisors L.P. lifted its position in Vermilion Energy by 37.7% in the 1st quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. now owns 50,711 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $1,066,000 after acquiring an additional 13,893 shares in the last quarter. 27.94% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Vermilion Energy

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Vermilion Energy, Inc engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas. It operates through the following geographical segments: Canada, United States of America, France, Netherlands, Germany, Ireland, Australia, and Corporate. The company was founded by Lorenzo Donadeo and Claudio A.