Insider Selling: Gulfport Energy (NYSE:GPOR) Director Sells $397,450.00 in Stock

Gulfport Energy Corporation (NYSE:GPOR) Director Timothy Cutt sold 2,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $158.98, for a total value of $397,450.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 27,013 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,294,526.74. The trade was a 8.47% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link.

Gulfport Energy Trading Up 0.1%

NYSE GPOR opened at $154.83 on Monday. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.74 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.19 and a beta of 0.43. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $167.07 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $176.47. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a current ratio of 0.58. Gulfport Energy Corporation has a 52 week low of $149.18 and a 52 week high of $225.78.

Gulfport Energy (NYSE:GPOR) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The company reported $4.85 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.82 by $1.03. The company had revenue of $323.23 million during the quarter. Gulfport Energy had a net margin of 32.28% and a return on equity of 21.87%. As a group, analysts anticipate that Gulfport Energy Corporation will post 22.25 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Gulfport Energy

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in GPOR. Tidal Investments LLC grew its position in shares of Gulfport Energy by 47.9% in the 2nd quarter. Tidal Investments LLC now owns 9,762 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,657,000 after acquiring an additional 3,160 shares during the period. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC bought a new stake in shares of Gulfport Energy in the 2nd quarter valued at about $59,000. Allworth Financial LP lifted its stake in Gulfport Energy by 159.3% in the 2nd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 350 shares of the company’s stock valued at $59,000 after purchasing an additional 215 shares during the last quarter. AlphaGrep UK Ltd acquired a new stake in Gulfport Energy in the 2nd quarter valued at about $233,000. Finally, AXQ Capital LP bought a new position in Gulfport Energy during the second quarter worth about $325,000.

Key Stories Impacting Gulfport Energy

Here are the key news stories impacting Gulfport Energy this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Siebert Williams Shank & Co. maintained its Buy rating on Gulfport Energy, providing continued support for the stock’s longer-term outlook. Siebert Williams Shank maintains Buy rating
• Neutral Sentiment: Pickering Energy Partners initiated coverage of Gulfport Energy. The new coverage may broaden institutional attention, although the available report does not specify the firm’s rating or price target. Pickering Energy Partners initiates coverage
• Negative Sentiment: Jefferies downgraded GPOR to Hold from Buy and cut its price target sharply to $180 from $239. The firm cited risks from near-term natural-gas prices, which could weigh on Gulfport’s realized pricing, cash flow and earnings expectations. Jefferies downgrades Gulfport Energy and cuts price target
• Negative Sentiment: Director Timothy Cutt sold 2,500 shares for approximately $397,450, reducing his direct ownership by 8.47%. While one insider transaction does not establish a trend, the sale can add to investor caution following the analyst downgrade. Gulfport Energy director stock sale

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have commented on the stock. UBS Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $223.00 price target on shares of Gulfport Energy in a research report on Monday, September 14th. Pickering Energy Partners began coverage on Gulfport Energy in a report on Tuesday, September 22nd. They issued an “outperform” rating for the company. Zacks Research raised Gulfport Energy from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 8th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered Gulfport Energy from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and dropped their target price for the stock from $239.00 to $180.00 in a report on Friday. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus started coverage on Gulfport Energy in a research report on Wednesday, September 9th. They set a “hold” rating and a $193.00 price target for the company. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have given a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $210.50.

Gulfport Energy Company Profile

Gulfport Energy Corporation is an independent exploration and production company focused primarily on natural gas and natural gas liquids. The company develops and produces hydrocarbons from unconventional shale formations, with operations concentrated in the Appalachian Basin.

Gulfport’s principal assets are located in eastern Ohio, where it holds acreage in the Utica and Marcellus shale plays. Its activities include leasing and developing mineral properties, drilling and completing horizontal wells, and producing and marketing natural gas, natural gas liquids and crude oil.