Peabody Energy (BTU) updated its first quarter earnings guidance on Tuesday. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of ($0.26)- ($0.04) for the period, compared to the Thomson Reuters consensus estimate of ($0.02).

BTU has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Analysts at BB&T reiterated a buy rating on shares of Peabody Energy in a research note to investors on Wednesday, January 16th. They now have a $35.00 price target on the stock. On a related note, analysts at TheStreet reiterated a hold rating on shares of Peabody Energy in a research note to investors on Friday, January 11th.

Fifteen research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, one has given an overweight rating, eight have assigned a hold rating, one has issued an underweight rating, and one has issued a sell rating to the company’s stock. The company has an average rating of overweight and a consensus target price of $32.22.

Peabody Energy (BTU) opened at 25.16 on Tuesday. Peabody Energy (BTU) has a 52-week low of $18.78 and a 52-week high of $38.96. The stock’s 50-day moving average is currently $26.3. The company has a market cap of $6.753 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.61.

Peabody Energy last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 29th. The company reported $0.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.26 by $0.10. The company had revenue of $2.02 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.93 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.98 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down 10.5% on a year-over-year basis. Peabody Energy has set its Q1 guidance at ($0.26)- ($0.04) EPS. On average, analysts predict that Peabody Energy (BTU) will post $1.95 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which is scheduled for Thursday, February 28th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 7th will be paid a dividend of $0.09 per share. This represents a $0.34 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.35%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 5th.

Peabody Energy Corporation (Peabody) is a coal company. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned interests in 30 coal mining operations, including an interest in 29 coal operations located in the United States and Australia and a 50% interest in the Middlemount Mine in Australia.

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