ATO

Atmos Energy Corporation (NYSE:ATO) announced strong profits, but the stock was stagnant. We did some digging, and we found some concerning factors in the details. We've found 21 US stocks that are forecast to pay a dividend yield of over 6% next year. See the full list for free. To understand the value of a company's earnings growth, it is imperative to consider any dilution of shareholders' interests. In fact, Atmos Energy increased the number of shares on issue by 5.1% over the last twelve months by issuing new shares. That means its earnings are split among a greater number of shares. To talk about net income, without noticing earnings per share, is to be distracted by the big numbers while ignoring the smaller numbers that talk to per share value. Check out Atmos Energy's historical EPS growth by clicking on this link. Atmos Energy has improved its profit over the last three years, with an annualized gain of 62% in that time. But EPS was only up 42% per year, in the exact same period. And over the last 12 months, the company grew its profit by 18%. But in comparison, EPS only increased by 14% over the same period. So you can see that the dilution has had a bit of an impact on shareholders. In the long term, earnings per share growth should beget share price growth. So Atmos Energy shareholders will want to see that EPS figure continue to increase. But on the other hand, we'd be far less excited to learn profit (but not EPS) was improving. For the ordinary retail shareholder, EPS is a great measure to check your hypothetical "share" of the company's profit. That might leave you wondering what analysts are forecasting in terms of future profitability. Luckily, you can click here to see an interactive graph depicting future profitability, based on their estimates. Each Atmos Energy share now gets a meaningfully smaller slice of its overall profit, due to dilution of existing shareholders. Therefore, it seems possible to us that Atmos Energy's true underlying earnings power is actually less than its statutory profit. But at least holders can take some solace from the 42% per annum growth in EPS for the last three. The goal of this article has been to assess how well we can rely on the statutory earnings to reflect the company's potential, but there is plenty more to consider. In light of this, if you'd like to do more analysis on the company, it's vital to...

In early May 2026, Atmos Energy Corporation reported past fiscal second quarter and six‑month results to March 31, 2026, with revenue of US$1,962.4 million and net income of US$581.9 million for the quarter, alongside higher earnings per share versus a year earlier. Alongside these results, Atmos Energy raised its full‑year earnings guidance and approved a nearly 15% increase in its annual dividend, signaling management’s confidence in the company’s financial position and capital investment program. Against this backdrop, we’ll now examine how the raised earnings guidance reshapes Atmos Energy’s existing investment narrative and risk-reward balance. The future of work is here. Discover the 31 top robotics and automation stocks leading the charge in AI-driven automation and industrial transformation. To own Atmos Energy, you need to be comfortable with a regulated gas utility that is investing heavily in its network while depending on constructive regulators to recover those costs. The latest earnings beat and higher full year guidance support the near term earnings catalyst, but they do not remove the key risks around rising capital spending, pressure on free cash flow and the need for continued favorable rate decisions. The nearly 15% increase in the indicated annual dividend, to US$4.00 per share via a US$1.00 quarterly payout, is the announcement that most directly links to this improved guidance. It reinforces the current income aspect of the story, but also ties shareholder returns more tightly to Atmos Energy’s ability to keep funding around US$4.2 billion of capital expenditure while managing debt, equity issuance and regulatory outcomes. Yet despite the strong guidance and dividend increase, investors should still be aware of how Atmos Energy’s rising capital expenditures could affect... Read the full narrative on Atmos Energy (it's free!) Atmos Energy's narrative projects $6.6 billion revenue and $1.8 billion earnings by 2029. This requires 10.5% yearly revenue growth and a $0.6 billion earnings increase from $1.2 billion today. Uncover how Atmos Energy's forecasts yield a $186.82 fair value, a 3% upside to its current price. Three fair value estimates from the Simply Wall St Community span a wide range, from US$161.24 up to US$1,051.94 per share, showing how far apart individual views can be. Against this, Atmos Energy’s higher earnings guidance an...

Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. CWCO delivered first-quarter 2026 earnings per share of 24 cents, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 27 cents by 11.11%. The bottom line also declined 22.58% from the year-ago period’s earnings of 31 cents. CWCO’s total revenues for first-quarter 2026 were $30 million, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $33.4 million by 10.18%. The top line also decreased 11.1% from the year-ago figure of $33.7 million. Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. Quote Retail revenues for the quarter decreased 8.86% to $8.6 million. The decrease was primarily due to a 10.2% decline in water sales volume because of significantly higher rainfall in Grand Cayman during the quarter compared with 2025. Bulk revenues increased 3.96% to $8.7 million. The slight growth was driven by new revenue contributions from the recently commissioned seawater desalination facility in Cat Island, the Bahamas. Manufacturing revenues decreased 76% to $1.4 million. The decline was mainly due to the lower total value of new purchase orders and, to a lesser extent, delays in the receipt and commencement of work related to these orders. Services revenues increased 11.64% to $11.3 million. The increase was mainly attributed to revenues generated under O&M contracts, which amounted to $8.9 million for the first quarter of 2026, up 15% from the prior-year quarter. The company’s first-quarter 2026 revenues decreased due to lower contributions from its manufacturing and retail segments. These declines were partly offset by growth in the bulk water and services segment revenues. Gross profit for the first quarter of 2026 was $10.91 million, down 11.30% from $12.31 million in the first quarter of 2025. Total general and administrative expenses increased nearly 3.95% to $7.42 million. Cash and cash equivalents totaled $126.3 million as of March 31, 2026, compared with $123.8 million as of Dec. 31, 2025. Total long-term debt was $0.005 million as of March 31, 2026, down from $0.03 million at 2025-end. Cash flow from operating activities during first-quarter 2026 totaled $6.5 million compared with $11.8 million in the year-ago period. Consolidated Water currently has a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Atmos Energy ATO posted second-quarter fisca...

Atmos Energy Corporation (NYSE:ATO) is one of the 10 Best Utility Stocks that Beat Earnings Estimates. On May 6, 2026, Atmos Energy Corporation (NYSE:ATO) reported results for its fiscal second quarter ended March 31, 2026. The company posted net income of $984.9M. During the quarter, capital expenditures totaled $2.0B, with more than 85% allocated toward safety and reliability-related investments. Atmos Energy also reported a strong financial position, including an equity capitalization ratio of 60.9% and approximately $4.1B in available liquidity. Atmos Energy Corporation (NYSE:ATO) raised its FY26 earnings per diluted share guidance to a range of $8.40-$8.50 from its prior outlook of $8.15-$8.35. The company also said FY26 capital expenditures are expected to total approximately $4.2B. The board of directors declared a quarterly dividend of $1.00 per common share. Atmos Energy said the indicated annual dividend for fiscal 2026 is now $4.00 per share, representing a 14.9% increase from fiscal 2025. Last month, Morgan Stanley lowered its price target on Atmos Energy Corporation (NYSE:ATO) to $195 from $197 while maintaining an Overweight rating. The firm said it updated price targets across the regulated and diversified utilities and independent power producer sectors in North America. Atmos Energy Corporation (NYSE:ATO) operates regulated natural gas distribution, pipeline, and storage businesses across the United States. While we acknowledge the potential of ATO as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 33 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and Cathie Wood 2026 Portfolio: 10 Best Stocks to Buy. Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News.k

Interested in Atmos Energy Corporation? Here are five stocks we like better. Atmos Energy raised its fiscal 2026 EPS guidance to $8.40–$8.50 from $8.15–$8.35 after posting stronger first-half results, with net income of $985 million, or $5.92 per share. Texas regulatory changes are a major tailwind: Rule 77102 and related Texas legislation contributed meaningfully to results by reducing regulatory lag and supporting deferred cost recovery, with the company expecting a $155 million–$165 million pre-tax benefit for the full year. Rate increases, customer growth and APT revenues also boosted earnings, while Atmos continued heavy capital investment and said it has ample liquidity and ongoing regulatory filings that could further lift operating income. Powering Up: UGI Banks $685M in Strategic Turnaround Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO) raised its fiscal 2026 earnings guidance after reporting higher first-half profit, citing rate increases, customer growth, benefits from Texas regulatory changes and stronger revenue from its Atmos Pipeline-Texas through-system business. The natural gas utility reported fiscal year-to-date net income of $985 million, or $5.92 per diluted share, for the period ended March 31, 2026. President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Akers said the company updated its fiscal 2026 earnings per share guidance range to $8.40 to $8.50, up from its previous range of $8.15 to $8.35. → Light Speed Returns: Corning Cashes In on NVIDIA Growth Utility Gas Inflation Is Soaring. This Stock Is a Clear Winner “Their commitment has us well-positioned for the remainder of the fiscal year,” Akers said, referring to Atmos employees and the company’s operating performance. Chief Financial Officer Christopher T. Forsythe said earnings per share for the first six months rose 12.5% from the prior-year period. Results included $94 million, or $0.43 per share, from the impact of Texas House Bill 4384, with $44 million recognized in the distribution segment and $50 million at Atmos Pipeline-Texas, or APT. → Uber's Annual Product Showcase Reveals It Is Coming for Airbnb and Booking Shield Your Portfolio From Aug. 1 Tariffs With This Low-Vol ETF Forsythe said the Railroad Commission of Texas completed final rulemaking during the second quarter to codify the legislation into Rule 77102. The rule reduces regulatory lag in Texas by allowing gas utilities to defer post-in-service...

UGI Corporation UGI reported second-quarter fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings of $2.09 per share, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.27 by 7.93%. The bottom line decreased 5.43% from $2.21 in the year-ago quarter. GAAP earnings per share in the fiscal second quarter were $2.33 compared with $2.19 in the year-ago quarter. Revenues of $2.69 billion missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.13 billion by 14.16%. However, the top line increased 0.71% from the year-ago quarter’s $2.67 billion. UGI Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | UGI Corporation Quote UGI’s earnings before interest expense and income tax (EBIT) for the second quarter of fiscal 2026 were $771 million, up 10.78% from $696 million in the prior year. The company’s interest expenses were $111 million, up 8.82% compared with $102 million in the year-ago quarter. UGI entered into a definitive agreement to sell its electric division for about $470 million, subject to working-capital adjustments. The transaction is expected to be completed in the second quarter of fiscal 2027. The company entered into a strategic partnership with Prime Data Centers to build large-scale natural gas infrastructure in northern Pennsylvania. The project is expected to support the gas demand of more than 100,000 dekatherms per day over the next three to five years. UGI launched online sales of AmeriGas propane cylinders through Amazon in select cities. The company plans to gradually expand the service across existing home-delivery markets during fiscal 2026 by leveraging its established direct-to-consumer delivery network. AmeriGas Propane: EBIT of $156 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 was up 1.30% from the year-ago level. UGI International: EBIT of $132 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 was down 7.69% from the year-ago level. Midstream & Marketing: EBIT of $150 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 was down 2.60% from the year-ago level. UGI Utilities: EBIT of $250 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 was up 3.73% year over year. As of March 31, 2026, UGI reported a strong balance sheet with approximately $2.1 billion in available liquidity. As of March 31, 2026, UGI had cash and cash equivalents of $530 million compared with $355 million as of Sept. 30, 2025. Long-term debt as of March 31, 2026, was $5.99 billion compared with $6.53 billion as of Sept. 30, 2025....

MDU Resources Group Inc. MDU reported first-quarter 2026 operating earnings per share (EPS) of 39 cents, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 42 cents by 7.14%. The bottom line decreased 25% year over year. Operating revenues of $606 million missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $702 billion by around 13.68%. The top line decreased 12.76% from $ 674.8 million recorded in the year-ago quarter. MDU Resources Group, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | MDU Resources Group, Inc. Quote Total operating expenses were nearly $490.3 million, down 14.3% from the year-ago quarter’s $562 million. The decline was primarily due to lower purchased natural gas sales and a decrease in taxes other than income taxes. Operating income totaled $115.7 million, up 2.57% from the year-ago quarter’s $112.8 million. Interest expenses were $32.7 million, up 22.1% year over year. As of March 31, 2026, cash and cash equivalents were $53.3 million compared with $28.2 million as of Dec. 31, 2025. Long-term debt as of March 31, 2026, was $2.38 billion compared with $2.53 billion as of Sept. 30, 2025. In the first three months of 2026, net cash provided by operating activities was $149.2 million compared with $217.5 million in the year-ago period. In the first three months of 2026, capital expenditure was $92.4 million compared with $93 million in the year-ago period. For 2026, MDU Resources expects its earnings to be between 93 cents and $1 per share. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at 98 cents, which lies at the higher end of the company’s projected range. The company continues to expect a long-term EPS growth rate of 6-8%. MDU anticipates its utility customers’ growth to continue at an annual rate of 1-2%. Capital expenditure for 2026 is projected at $565 million and plans to invest $3,113 million during the 2026-2030 period. MDU Resources currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Atmos Energy ATO posted second-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings of $3.47 per share, which topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.37 by 2.97%. The bottom line improved 14.52% from the year-ago quarter’s $3.03. Total revenues of $1.96 billion missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.24 billion by 12.37%. However, the top line rose 0.61% from the prior-year quarter’s $1.95 billion. Southwest Gas Holdings Inc. SWX repo...

Atmos Energy ATO posted second-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings of $3.47 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.37 by 2.97%. The bottom line improved 14.52% from the year-ago quarter’s $3.03. The company reported revenues of $1.96 billion, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.24 billion by 12.37%. However, the top line rose 0.61% from the prior-year quarter’s $1.95 billion. Atmos Energy Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Atmos Energy Corporation Quote Operation and maintenance expenses in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 amounted to $195.8 million, down 16.08% from the year-ago quarter’s level. Operating income in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 was $764.8 million, a 21.60% increase from $628.9 million in the year-ago quarter. Through May 6, 2026, new rates worth $136.1 million were implemented, while rates worth $598.4 million await approval from the authorities before being put into effect. ATO reported net income of $581.9 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2026, a 19.84% increase from $485.6 million in the year-ago quarter. Atmos Energy incurred interest expenses of $48.7 million, down 2.63% from the year-earlier quarter’s level. The company reported 159.4 million cubic feet of consolidated distribution throughput for the quarter, down 18.85% from the year-ago quarter’s reported actuals. Distribution: Net income totaled $437.3 million, a 14.89% increase from $380.6 million in the year-ago quarter. Pipeline and Storage: Income amounts to $144.6 million, reflecting a 37.80% increase from $104.9 million reported in the year-ago quarter. As of March 31, 2026, Atmos Energy reported a strong balance sheet with approximately $4.1 billion in available liquidity. As of March 31, 2026, ATO had cash and cash equivalents of $127.1 million compared with $203.8 million as of Sept. 30, 2025. Net cash flow provided by operating activities in the first six months of fiscal 2026 was $1.03 billion compared with $1.20 billion in the year-ago period. During the second quarter of fiscal 2026, the company issued $600 million of 5.45% 30-year senior notes and settled $672 million through equity forward arrangements. In the second quarter of fiscal 2026, the company invested nearly $2.0 billion, with 85% of the amount allocated to improving the safety and reliability of its distribution and transportation systems. Atmos Energy reaff...

Atmos Energy (ATO) came out with quarterly earnings of $3.47 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.37 per share. This compares to earnings of $3.03 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +3.07%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this natural gas utility would post earnings of $2.41 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.44, delivering a surprise of +1.24%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. Atmos, which belongs to the Zacks Utility - Gas Distribution industry, posted revenues of $1.96 billion for the quarter ended March 2026, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 12.33%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $1.95 billion. The company has not been able to beat consensus revenue estimates over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. Atmos shares have added about 11.7% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 6%. While Atmos has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Atmos was favorable. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to outperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. It w...

Spire Inc. SR reported second-quarter fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings of $3.76 per share, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.78 by 0.4%. However, the company’s bottom line rose 4.4% from $3.60 reported in the year-ago quarter. Total revenues for the reported quarter were $1.02 billion, which lagged the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.08 billion by 5.2%. The top line also decreased 2.9% from $1.05 billion in the year-ago quarter. Spire Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Spire Inc. Quote Operating expenses totaled $716.5 million, up 2.6% from $698.5 million recorded in the prior-year period. Operating income came in at $303.5 million compared with $277.9 million in the prior-year quarter. Net interest expenses increased 38.2% year over year to $62.6 million. Gas Utility: The segment reported adjusted earnings of $234.8 million, indicating an improvement of 20.3% from the prior-year quarter’s figure. This improvement reflected higher Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama earnings. Other: This segment reported an adjusted loss of $11.1 million compared with a loss of $5.9 million in the prior-year quarter. Cash and cash equivalents as of March 31, 2026 were $49.5 million compared with $5.7 million as of Sept. 30, 2025. Long-term debt (less current portion) as of March 31, 2026 totaled $5.76 billion compared with $3.37 billion as of Sept. 30, 2025. During the first six months of fiscal 2026, the company generated net cash from operating activities of $491.4 million compared with $453.8 million in the same period last year. Spire updated its fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings to be in the range of $3.90-$4.10 per share. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at $5.08, which is higher than the company’s guided range. Spire expects its fiscal 2027 adjusted earnings to be in the range of $5.40-$5.60 per share. The Zacks Consensus Estimate stands at $5.54, which is higher than the midpoint of the company’s guided range. SR expects its 10-year capital investment to be $11.2 billion through fiscal 2035. This planned investment is likely to drive long-term adjusted earnings per share growth of 5-7%. Spire currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Atmos Energy Corporation ATO posted second-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings of $3.47 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.37 by...

For the quarter ended March 2026, Atmos Energy (ATO) reported revenue of $1.96 billion, up 0.6% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $3.47, compared to $3.03 in the year-ago quarter. The reported revenue represents a surprise of -12.33% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.24 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $3.37, the EPS surprise was +3.07%. While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance. Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance. Here is how Atmos performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts: Operating revenues- Pipeline and Storage segment: $289.29 million versus $280.93 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +11.7% change. Operating revenues- Distribution segment: $1.88 billion versus $1.98 billion estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -0.3% change. Operating Income- Pipeline and Storage: $198.9 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $163.12 million. Operating Income- Distribution: $565.9 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $557.31 million. View all Key Company Metrics for Atmos here>>> Shares of Atmos have returned -0.8% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +10.3% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Atmos Energy Corporation (ATO) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Management attributed the 12.5% year-over-year EPS growth primarily to the implementation of Texas House Bill 4384, which reduces regulatory lag by allowing the deferral of post-in-service carrying costs. Operational performance was bolstered by steady customer growth, adding over 51,000 new customers in the last 12 months, with approximately 76% of that growth concentrated in Texas. The Atmos Pipeline-Texas (APT) segment benefited significantly from natural gas pricing dynamics, with realized spreads averaging $4.35 compared to $1.80 in the prior year period. Strategic infrastructure execution continued with the completion of Phase 2 of the Line WA project, adding 44 miles of 36-inch pipeline to support the DFW Metroplex expansion. Management highlighted that high Permian gas production and constrained takeaway capacity created a favorable environment for APT's through-system revenues. The company maintained a strong focus on safety and reliability, with 89% of the $2 billion year-to-date capital expenditures dedicated to system integrity. The fiscal 2026 EPS guidance was raised to $8.40–$8.50, establishing a new baseline for the company's long-term 6% to 8% annual growth target. Management anticipates that Permian natural gas pricing will remain challenging for the remainder of the fiscal year, expected to contribute an additional $0.08 to $0.12 to EPS in the second half. The full-year impact of Texas Rule 7.7102 is now estimated at $155 million to $165 million, higher than original projections due to finalized rulemaking and improved capital spending visibility. The company remains on track for $4.2 billion in total capital expenditures for fiscal 2026, focused on distribution and transmission infrastructure. Equity needs for the remainder of fiscal 2026 are already satisfied through existing forward sale agreements, providing a buffer against market volatility. A reclassification of Rule 7.7102 deferrals moved $41 million from interest expense to O&M to better align with where costs were originally incurred; this is earnings-neutral. The Rider REV tariff provided approximately $150 million in total credits to customers over the last three years, demonstrating a mechanism that shares excess revenue during volatile pricing periods. Consolidated O&M, excluding legislative deferrals, increased by $27 million due to higher employee, compliance, and maintenanc...