Morgan Stanley Issues Pessimistic Forecast for Coterra Energy Stock Price

Coterra Energy (NYSE:CTRA) has received a downgrade in its stock price target from Morgan Stanley. In a research report released on Thursday, the firm lowered its price objective from $32.00 to $30.00. They have also assigned an 'equal weight' rating to the company's shares. This new target price suggests that there is a potential upside of 5.02% from the last closing price of Coterra Energy.

Other analysts have provided varied ratings on Coterra Energy. Mizuho recently increased their price target from $37.00 to $40.00, awarding the company an 'outperform' rating. Meanwhile, UBS Group raised its target from $35.00 to $37.00, rating the stock as a 'buy.' Jefferies Financial Group also adjusted its target price to $28.00 while maintaining a 'hold' rating. In another update, Goldman Sachs increased their target to $37.00, classifying the stock as a 'buy,' and Johnson Rice upgraded Coterra Energy from 'hold' to 'accumulate' while raising their target from $34.00 to $37.00. Presently, while three analysts recommend holding the stock, seventeen analysts rate it as a buy, and one gives it a strong buy rating. According to MarketBeat.com, Coterra Energy holds an average rating of 'Moderate Buy' and an average price target of $34.35.

Coterra Energy Stock Performance

On Thursday, Coterra Energy's stock experienced a decrease of 1.1%, bringing its price down to $28.57. The trading session saw a volume of 1,519,400 shares traded, which is below the average volume of 5,864,972 shares. Over the past 52 weeks, the stock has reached a low of $22.30 and a high of $29.95. The company has a market capitalization of $21.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.23, and a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.59. Furthermore, it has a low debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16 and liquidity ratios including a current ratio of 1.61 and a quick ratio of 1.56. The shares are currently trading above their 50-day moving average of $27.96 and their 200-day moving average of $25.95.

Insider Transactions at Coterra Energy

Recent transactions from company insiders have raised eyebrows. SVP Kevin William Smith sold 25,733 shares on March 19th for an average price of $29.09, resulting in a total transaction value of $748,572.97. Following this sale, he now owns 106,114 shares valued at approximately $3,086,856.26—a reduction of 19.52% from his previous ownership. Additionally, SVP Michael D. Deshazer sold 35,377 shares on March 10th for an average price of $26.62, totaling approximately $941,735.74. After this transaction, Deshazer holds 126,770 shares valued around $3,374,617.40, reflecting a 21.82% decrease in his ownership. Currently, corporate insiders own about 1.70% of Coterra Energy’s stock.

Institutional Investor Engagement

Changes in positions held by institutional investors and hedge funds have also been noted. Wellington Management Group LLP has increased its ownership in Coterra Energy by 28.4% during the 3rd quarter, now holding 71,210,013 shares valued at $1.71 billion after acquiring an additional 15,736,247 shares. Sterling Capital Management LLC made a significant increase of 5,744.3% in its stake during the 4th quarter, with its ownership now amounting to 3,661,696 shares worth approximately $93.52 million. Holocene Advisors LP also raised its stake by 187.2%, now owning 4,533,269 shares valued at $108.57 million. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. and Raymond James Financial Inc. also made notable increases. Overall, 87.92% of Coterra Energy’s shares are owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Coterra Energy

Coterra Energy Inc. is an independent oil and gas company engaged in the exploration, development, and production of oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids across the United States. The company holds significant property interests, including the Marcellus Shale, covering approximately 186,000 net acres in Pennsylvania; the Permian Basin, with around 296,000 net acres in West Texas and Southeast New Mexico; and the Anadarko Basin, comprising about 182,000 net acres in Oklahoma.

Morgan, Stanley, Coterra, Energy, Stock