Citigroup Has Lowered Expectations for Diversified Energy (NYSE:DEC) Stock Price

Diversified Energy (NYSE:DEC) had its price target reduced by Citigroup from $17.00 to $15.00 in a note issued to investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a “buy” rating on the stock. Citigroup’s price objective would suggest a potential upside of 14.85% from the company’s previous close.

DEC has been the topic of several other research reports. Johnson Rice raised shares of Diversified Energy from an “accumulate” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price target for the company from $19.00 to $23.00 in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Diversified Energy in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Zacks Research lowered shares of Diversified Energy from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Monday, January 19th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Diversified Energy from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday. Finally, William Blair started coverage on Diversified Energy in a research report on Tuesday, November 18th. They set an “outperform” rating for the company. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $20.50.

Diversified Energy Price Performance

NYSE:DEC traded up $0.07 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $13.06. 316,681 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 568,764. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $13.94 and its 200 day moving average price is $14.30. Diversified Energy has a 52-week low of $10.08 and a 52-week high of $17.24.

Insider Buying and Selling at Diversified Energy

In related news, Director Randall S. Wade sold 2,100,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $13.28, for a total transaction of $27,888,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 7,501,585 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $99,621,048.80. This represents a 21.87% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Diversified Energy

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in DEC. Empowered Funds LLC lifted its position in shares of Diversified Energy by 6.9% during the second quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 287,236 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,214,000 after purchasing an additional 18,572 shares during the last quarter. Cooper Creek Partners Management LLC acquired a new position in Diversified Energy during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $9,084,000. Rathbones Group PLC grew its position in shares of Diversified Energy by 19.0% during the second quarter. Rathbones Group PLC now owns 321,650 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,777,000 after acquiring an additional 51,334 shares during the last quarter. Jupiter Asset Management Ltd. increased its stake in shares of Diversified Energy by 1.2% in the second quarter. Jupiter Asset Management Ltd. now owns 2,926,886 shares of the company’s stock valued at $43,478,000 after purchasing an additional 34,406 shares during the period. Finally, Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC bought a new stake in Diversified Energy during the 2nd quarter valued at $323,000. 26.51% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Diversified Energy

Diversified Energy Company PLC (NYSE: DEC) is an independent oil and natural gas producer focused on the acquisition and optimization of legacy onshore assets in the United States. The company’s portfolio spans thousands of producing wells and extensive leasehold positions across core regions such as Appalachia, the Permian Basin and the Mid-Continent. By targeting mature properties, Diversified Energy seeks to enhance long-term recovery through operational efficiencies and capital discipline.

The company’s business model centers on fee-based infrastructure and midstream services that provide stable and predictable cash flows.