UGI (US:UGI) ZACKSยท2025-07-17 13:35Core Insights - UGI Corporation (UGI) is positioned as a strong investment option in the utility sector due to strategic investments in infrastructure modernization, disciplined capital allocation, and operational improvements [1] Growth Projections - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2025 earnings per share (EPS) has increased by 2.3% to $3.13 over the past 90 days [2] - Projected sales for fiscal 2025 are $7.81 billion, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 8.4% [2] - UGI's long-term earnings growth rate is estimated at 5.2%, with a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 75.7% [2] Return on Equity - UGI's return on equity (ROE) stands at 16.21%, surpassing the industry average of 9.24%, indicating more effective utilization of funds compared to peers [3] Liquidity Position - The company's current ratio is 1.23, which is significantly better than the industry average of 0.63, suggesting sufficient short-term assets to cover liabilities [4] Debt Management - UGI's total debt to capital ratio is 58.34%, which is lower than the sector average of 60.33% [5] - The time-to-interest earned ratio is 2.5, indicating the company's capability to meet future interest obligations comfortably [5] Strategic Investments - UGI is making strategic investments to enhance safety and reliability in natural gas production and storage, with $160 million invested in the fiscal second quarter, 79% of which was allocated to natural gas businesses [6][7] - The company plans to invest $800-$900 million in fiscal 2025 and $3.7-$4.1 billion through fiscal 2027 to strengthen operations [7] Dividend History - UGI has a long-standing history of paying dividends for 141 years, with a 10-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6% from fiscal 2014-2024 [10] - The current dividend yield is 4.17%, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite's yield of 1.19% [10] Share Price Performance - Over the past three months, UGI shares have increased by 8.5%, compared to the industry's growth of 1.9% [11]