U.S energy holding company
Energen Corp.
(
EGN
) has recently increased its quarterly cash dividend payment by
3.6% to 14.5 cents per share, up from 14 cents per share paid in
the fourth quarter of 2012. The new dividend will be paid on Mar
1, 2013, to shareholders of record as on Feb 15, 2013.
The increased payout indicates that Energen has maintained its
streak of dividend increases for 31consecutive years. If the
current dividend is maintained for the rest of the year, the
annualized dividend payout of the company would be 58 cents per
share.
Based on the closing price of $48.36 as on Jan 24, 2013, the
revised dividend affirms a yield of 1.2%. A steady dividend
payout facilitates the long-term strategy of the company to
provide attractive risk-adjusted returns to its stockholders.
We believe that Energen will be able to generate sufficient cash
flows for its shareholders in the coming years, which will likely
be backed by strong operating performances and good management
decisions.
Birmingham, Alabama-based Energen is an independent oil and gas
exploration and production company engaged in the acquisition,
exploration, and development of oil and gas in the U.S. The
company also purchases, distributes and sells clean-burning,
energy-efficient natural gas to the commercial and residential
customers. Energen has roughly 900 million barrels of oil
equivalent proved reserves, majority of which is located in the
Permian and San Juan basins.
The strikingly lower natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGL)
prices for 2012 as compared to 2011, has negatively affected the
company's fourth quarter earnings.
Energen currently retains a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), implying
that it is expected to significantly underperform the broader
U.S. equity market over the next one to three months.
However, certain other domestic energy firms like
Breitburn Energy Partners L.P.
(
BBEP
),
Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation
(
COG
) and
Memorial Production Partners L.P.
(
MEMP
) are expected to significantly outperform the equity market in
the next one to three months. All the three stocks currently hold
a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
BREITBURN EGY (BBEP): Free Stock Analysis
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CABOT OIL & GAS (COG): Free Stock Analysis
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ENERGEN CORP (EGN): Free Stock Analysis
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MEMORIAL PRODUC (MEMP): Free Stock Analysis
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