Daiwa Securities Group Inc. Raises Holdings in Ameren Co. (NYSE:AEE)

Daiwa Securities Group Inc. increased its stake in Ameren Co. (NYSE:AEE) by 10.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 39,487 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 3,584 shares during the quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc.’s holdings in Ameren were worth $3,453,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Millennium Management LLC increased its stake in Ameren by 106.1% in the 2nd quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 2,498,158 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $177,644,000 after buying an additional 1,286,162 shares in the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC increased its position in Ameren by 8,645.7% during the third quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 1,160,998 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $1,015,410,000 after acquiring an additional 1,147,723 shares during the last quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. lifted its stake in Ameren by 3,738.0% in the third quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 745,872 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $65,234,000 after purchasing an additional 726,438 shares during the last quarter. ANTIPODES PARTNERS Ltd boosted its holdings in Ameren by 192.6% during the 2nd quarter. ANTIPODES PARTNERS Ltd now owns 1,103,565 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $78,475,000 after acquiring an additional 726,404 shares during the period. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board grew its position in Ameren by 155.6% in the 2nd quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 648,306 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $46,101,000 after acquiring an additional 394,700 shares during the last quarter. 79.09% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Ameren Stock Performance

AEE stock opened at $94.98 on Thursday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $88.58 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $80.71. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.37, a quick ratio of 0.41 and a current ratio of 0.63. Ameren Co. has a one year low of $67.03 and a one year high of $95.69. The firm has a market cap of $25.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.35, a PEG ratio of 3.08 and a beta of 0.45.

Ameren Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 31st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 11th will be paid a $0.67 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, December 11th. This represents a $2.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.82%. Ameren’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 63.06%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CFO Michael L. Moehn sold 6,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $92.15, for a total value of $598,975.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 205,171 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $18,906,507.65. This trade represents a 3.07 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.36% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have recently weighed in on AEE. Barclays lifted their target price on Ameren from $77.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 15th. Argus raised shares of Ameren to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, September 19th. Bank of America boosted their price target on Ameren from $86.00 to $87.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, August 29th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their target price on Ameren from $84.00 to $87.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 6th. Finally, Mizuho raised Ameren from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating and increased their price target for the stock from $82.00 to $89.00 in a research report on Monday, September 16th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $87.90.

Ameren Profile

Ameren Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a public utility holding company in the United States. The company operates through four segments: Ameren Missouri, Ameren Illinois Electric Distribution, Ameren Illinois Natural Gas, and Ameren Transmission. It engages in the rate-regulated electric generation, transmission, and distribution activities; and rate-regulated natural gas distribution business.