Zacks Research Downgrades EQT (NYSE:EQT) to Hold

EQT (NYSE:EQT) was downgraded by equities research analysts at Zacks Research from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday,Zacks.com reports. Zacks Research also issued estimates for EQT’s Q1 2026 earnings at $1.87 EPS, Q2 2026 earnings at $0.62 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $3.72 EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at $1.19 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $0.89 EPS, Q4 2027 earnings at $1.27 EPS, FY2027 earnings at $3.96 EPS, Q1 2028 earnings at $1.12 EPS and FY2028 earnings at $5.56 EPS.

Several other brokerages have also recently commented on EQT. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of EQT from $68.00 to $72.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 17th. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of EQT from $62.00 to $66.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, April 17th. Roth Mkm reissued a “neutral” rating on shares of EQT in a research note on Tuesday, April 14th. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of EQT in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on EQT from $70.00 to $79.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have assigned a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, EQT has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $68.79.

EQT Stock Up 0.4%

Shares of NYSE EQT opened at $58.95 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 0.76 and a current ratio of 0.66. EQT has a 52 week low of $48.30 and a 52 week high of $68.24. The stock has a market capitalization of $36.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.19, a PEG ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 0.70. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $61.16 and its 200 day moving average is $57.48.

EQT (NYSE:EQT) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 21st. The oil and gas producer reported $2.33 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.01 by $0.32. EQT had a return on equity of 9.74% and a net margin of 31.94%.The business had revenue of $3.14 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.14 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.18 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts forecast that EQT will post 4.57 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at EQT

In other news, CAO Todd James sold 32,514 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $61.12, for a total transaction of $1,987,255.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 58,796 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,593,611.52. This trade represents a 35.61% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Sarah Fenton sold 4,876 shares of EQT stock in a transaction on Monday, March 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $64.49, for a total transaction of $314,453.24. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 52,953 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,414,938.97. This trade represents a 8.43% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 61,158 shares of company stock worth $3,742,983 in the last quarter. 0.72% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. grew its position in shares of EQT by 8,000.9% in the 3rd quarter. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. now owns 153,431 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock valued at $8,351,000 after buying an additional 151,537 shares during the last quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp raised its position in shares of EQT by 116.4% during the third quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp now owns 534,485 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock worth $29,092,000 after acquiring an additional 287,538 shares during the last quarter. First American Bank acquired a new position in shares of EQT in the third quarter worth approximately $1,915,000. Adams Natural Resources Fund Inc. lifted its stake in shares of EQT by 97.1% in the third quarter. Adams Natural Resources Fund Inc. now owns 220,500 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock worth $12,002,000 after acquiring an additional 108,600 shares during the period. Finally, Canada Post Corp Registered Pension Plan boosted its holdings in EQT by 131.7% in the third quarter. Canada Post Corp Registered Pension Plan now owns 87,629 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock valued at $4,772,000 after acquiring an additional 49,803 shares during the last quarter. 90.81% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

EQT News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting EQT this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Record cash generation and stronger results — EQT reported Q1 revenue and earnings above expectations, produced above guidance, and posted record free cash flow (~$1.8B), which management said helped materially reduce net debt and leverage. That underpins the bullish view on capital returns and balance‑sheet repair. EQT Delivers Record Free Cash Flow
• Positive Sentiment: Operational execution — Q1 volumes and realized pricing boosted revenue (sales +57% YoY) and non‑GAAP EPS topped consensus, supporting near‑term cash flow visibility. EQT Q1 Deep Dive
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst and estimate updates are mixed — Zacks raised EPS/ratings on EQT (positive signal), while Roth Capital kept a Neutral rating and a $57 target citing a Q1 derivatives loss. These split views may limit upside until guidance and hedging outcomes are clearer. Roth Capital Maintains Neutral Rating
• Neutral Sentiment: Sector comparison / LNG optionality — coverage comparing EQT to Venture Global highlights differing growth profiles (EQT’s cash‑flow and balance‑sheet focus vs. Venture Global’s LNG contract‑driven growth). This frames investor choice between yield/returns and volume‑growth exposure. VG vs. EQT: Which Natural Gas Stock Is the Better Buy Now?
• Negative Sentiment: Hedging/derivatives drag — analysts pointed to a sizable Q1 derivatives loss (~$300M) tied to hedging that trimmed reported results; persistent hedging losses could weigh on near‑term earnings. Roth Capital Maintains Neutral Rating
• Negative Sentiment: Put buying and insider selling — unusual options activity (large put purchases) and recent insider sales reported by market trackers add near‑term cautionary flows that can amplify volatility. (Market flow reports; see Q1 coverage links for context.)

EQT Company Profile

EQT Corporation (NYSE: EQT) is a U.S.-based energy company focused on the exploration, development and production of natural gas. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the company concentrates its upstream operations in the Appalachian Basin, producing from major shale formations including the Marcellus and Utica. EQT’s primary product is natural gas, with production activities supported by associated liquids and conventional gas assets where applicable.

In addition to drilling and well development, EQT operates and coordinates the infrastructure and commercial activities necessary to bring gas to market.