$EQT

Oil Stocks Rise as Middle East Tensions Lift Crude Ahead of Earnings Season, RBC Says

Shares of US oil and gas producers gained over the past week as renewed tensions between Israel and Iran pushed crude prices higher ahead of the Q2 earnings season, RBC Capital Markets analyst Scott Hanold said in a Thursday note.Oil prices climbed to around $80 per barrel for the US benchmark West Texas Intermediate after US President Donald Trump pledged further action against Iran following renewed military strikes.The renewed geopolitical tensions came as the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve fell for the consecutive week to 316.5 million barrels, while inventories at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery hub rose above the 20-million-barrel level considered the minimum for efficient operations.Despite the jump in oil prices, trading activity across energy markets remained subdued, Hanold said.Oil-focused exploration and production companies outperformed their natural gas peers over the past week. Shares of oil-weighted producers rose about 3%, while gas-focused companies slipped 1%.The SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF (XOP) gained 4% as crude prices rose about 10%, while US natural gas benchmark Henry Hub prices fell 4%.Investor attention is now shifting toward the upcoming US exploration and production earnings season, with analysts reporting increased discussions around company strategy and capital allocation after limited interest from generalist investors during much of the second quarter.Among the companies drawing the most attention are Expand Energy (EXE), where investors are awaiting the appointment of a new chief executive and Devon Energy (DVN) over potential asset sales.Other companies include EOG Resources' (EOG) exploration activities in the UAE, Matador Resources' (MTDR) efforts to unlock value from its midstream assets, California Resources' (CRC) strategic initiatives, and EQT's (EQT) growth plans.Analysts said investors are also focused on the potential for mergers and acquisitions, free cash flow allocation and the outlook for US natural gas markets, with EOG, Matador, SM Energy (SM) and EQT emerging as favored names heading into earnings.Price: $168.11, Change: $+1.67, Percent Change: +1.00%

EQT Keeps Quarterly Dividend at $0.165 Per Share, Payable Sept. 1 to Shareholders of Record on Aug. 5

Stephens Adjusts Price Target on EQT to $71 From $73, Maintains Overweight Rating

EQT (EQT) has an average rating of overweight and mean price target of $68.15, according to analysts polled by FactSet.

Goldman Sachs Adjusts Price Target on EQT to $60 From $63, Maintains Buy Rating

EQT (EQT) has an average rating of overweight and mean price target of $68.15, according to analysts polled by FactSet.

Roth Capital Adjusts Price Target on EQT to $52 From $57, Maintains Neutral Rating

EQT (EQT) has an average rating of overweight and mean price target of $68.15, according to analysts polled by FactSet.

BMO Capital Adjusts Price Target on EQT to $65 From $70, Maintains Outperform Rating

EQT (EQT) has an average rating of overweight and mean price target of $68.46, according to analysts polled by FactSet.Price: $49.47, Change: $+0.62, Percent Change: +1.27%

EQT to Buy Copia Power to Accelerate AI Infrastructure Growth

EQT (EQT) Infrastructure has entered a definitive agreement to acquire Copia Power from global investment firm Carlyle (CG), the company said on Friday.The deal positions EQT to address the critical power bottlenecks currently hindering rapid data center and artificial intelligence expansion, it said.Copia Power specializes in integrated energy campuses that co-locate generation, high-voltage transmission, and data center load, effectively bypassing traditional interconnection hurdles.Copia's portfolio includes over 2.6 gigawatts of operational or under-construction assets and a development pipeline exceeding 9 GW of grid-connected data centers.EQT intends to leverage Copia's integrated model to complement its existing US digital and energy investments, including EdgeConneX and Cypress Creek Energy, the company stated.The transaction, is expected to close by the end of 2026, the company said.

Market Chatter: Qiagen Attracts Early Takeover Interest From EQT, Advent, KKR

Qiagen (QGEN) is attracting early takeover interest from private equity firms including EQT (EQT), Advent and KKR (KKR), with some potential bidders considering offers of at least $50 per share, Bloomberg reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the situation.Qiagen, which has been conducting a strategic review with advisers, could also draw interest from additional buyout firms and strategic acquirers. Deliberations are ongoing and there is no certainty they will result in a transaction, according to the report.Qiagen shares rose as much as 14% in US trading before trimming gains to trade up about 11%, valuing the company at roughly $8.7 billion, the report said.Qiagen, EQT, Advent and KKR did not immediately respond to requests for comment from.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)Price: $42.68, Change: $+4.68, Percent Change: +12.32%

EQT Expected to Deliver Positive Q2 on Strong Production, UBS Says

EQT (EQT) is expected to post another positive Q2 update as production tracks near the high end of guidance on strong operations and reduced curtailments despite softer natural gas prices, UBS Securities said Wednesday in a report.Q2 production is expected around 606 billion cubic feet equivalent with cash flow per share of $1.76, the report said. Stronger operational performance should largely offset lower Henry Hub pricing and slightly wider regional basis differentials, while progress on supply agreements and midstream growth investments remains a "key positive differentiator," UBS said.Q2 results are expected July 21.EQT remains on track to reduce debt to $5 billion by the end of 2026, supporting a boost in shareholder returns, including an estimated $2 billion in stock buybacks in 2027, the report said.UBS lowered its price target on EQT stock to $73 from $74 to reflect a reduced 2026 Henry Hub gas price forecast and reiterated its buy rating.Price: $51.37, Change: $-0.39, Percent Change: -0.75%

UBS Adjusts EQT Price Target to $73 From $74

EQT (EQT) has an average rating of overweight and mean price target of $69.42, according to analysts polled by FactSet.

Oversupply Narrative Keeps Pressure on US Exploration, Production Stocks, RBC Says

US exploration and production stocks remained under pressure as lower oil prices and persistent oversupply concerns weighed on sector sentiment, RBC Capital Markets said in a note on Wednesday.RBC said US drilling activity remained largely unchanged, with Permian rig counts only slightly higher year to date. Private operators have increased activity, although weaker oil prices could slow that trend.Oil prices remained below $70 per barrel as markets assessed US-Iran talks that suggested improved shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.RBC said the oversupply narrative remained dominant as Russian and Saudi supply increased while the UAE boosted crude exports to a record 3.7 million barrels per day in June after leaving the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries in May.A 3.8 million-barrel decline in commercial crude inventories, together with a 5.5 million-barrel release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, reduced total US oil inventories to their lowest level since 1984, RBC said, citing Department of Energy data.Gas-weighted exploration and production companies gained 2% over the past week, while oil-weighted peers lost 3%.Large-cap stocks dropped 4% and small- and mid-cap names fell 2%, even as the SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF advanced 1% despite a 3% decline in West Texas Intermediate crude and a 1% drop in Henry Hub natural gas prices.Generalist investors have shown greater interest in energy valuations, although conversations continue to center on macroeconomic conditions and the improving outlook for natural gas equities, RBC said.As the second-quarter 2026 earnings season approaches, RBC expects specialist investors to step up activity.The bank said commodity price movements and merger-and-acquisition opportunities continue to dominate discussions, with EOG Resources (EOG), Devon Energy (DVN), EQT (EQT), Permian Resources (PR) and California Resources (CRC) emerging as investor favorites.

Jefferies Adjusts Price Target on EQT to $75 From $77, Maintains Buy Rating

EQT (EQT) has an average rating of overweight and mean price target of $69.85, according to analysts polled by FactSet.

Goldman Sachs Adjusts Price Target on EQT to $63 From $65, Maintains Buy Rating

EQT (EQT) has an average rating of overweight and mean price target of $69.56, according to analysts polled by FactSet.

Morgan Stanley Adjusts Price Target on EQT to $68 From $74, Maintains Overweight Rating

EQT (EQT) has an average rating of overweight and mean price target of $69.96, according to analysts polled by FactSet.Price: $53.37, Change: $+1.72, Percent Change: +3.33%

US Energy Regulator Approves Mountain Valley Virginia-North Carolina Pipeline Extension

The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Wednesday approved the construction of Mountain Valley Pipeline's Southgate Amendment Project, connecting natural gas delivery points in Virginia and North Carolina via a 31-mile pipeline."Mountain Valley has provided the information necessary to meet applicable pre-construction conditions," according to a letter from the FERC's Office of Energy Projects.The approval followed a federal appeals court decision on June 11 to reject a stay that environmental groups had requested against a water quality permit for the project.With the natural gas network expansion, pipeline capacity is expected to increase by 550,000 dekatherms per day, the company website said.MVP Southgate would be constructed and owned by Mountain Valley Pipeline, a joint venture among affiliates of EQT (EQT), NextEra Energy (NEE), AltaGas, and RGC Resources (RGCO). EQT will serve as the operator of the project.

JPMorgan Adjusts Price Target on EQT to $68 From $72, Maintains Overweight Rating

EQT (EQT) has an average rating of overweight and mean price target of $70.32, according to analysts polled by FactSet.

AES Prices $1 Billion in Notes

AES (AES) has priced $600 million of senior 5.20% due 2029, and $400 million of 5.75% senior notes due 2033, with an expected closing on June 16, the utility giant disclosed late Thursday.

US Gas Market Seen Tightening into 2027, Potential Oversupply in 2028, TPH Says

US natural gas markets are projected to remain a key focus for investors assessing tightening near-term fundamentals before a shift toward oversupply later in the decade, according to TPH Energy Research in a Tuesday note.Matt Portillo, analyst at TPH, said that end-of-summer 2027 gas balances will reach 4.1 trillion cubic feet, with investors increasingly focused on when to position for longer-dated holdings beyond 2028.TPH said the outlook reflects a market still supported by regional constraints and rising demand before new supply and infrastructure changes alter the trajectory.Regional pricing dynamics remain in focus, including Permian-driven growth, Waha basis spreads in 2027, and medium-term balance trends at Agua Dulce. Portillo also noted emerging structural concerns at Gillis beyond 2028 as demand-supply imbalances deepen.TPH said global gas markets could tip into oversupply by 2028, with implications for global pricing trends over the next decade. The bank sees European benchmark TTF prices potentially easing toward $6-7 per million British thermal units over time.Simultaneously, Gulf Coast supply constraints are expected to support Henry Hub prices, potentially narrowing the arbitrage between US and global gas markets by 2029.On the upstream side, investor interest centered on Antero Resources (AR), EQT Corporation (EQT), Expand Energy (EXE), Range Resources (RRC), BKV Corporation (BKV) and Comstock Resources (CRK).Midstream companies, including DT Midstream (DTM), TC Energy, Williams Companies (WMB, Energy Transfer (ET), Kinder Morgan (KMI), Cheniere Energy (LNG), and Venture Global (VG), were also widely discussed.TPH said this underscores expectations that LNG export growth and pipeline bottlenecks will remain central to market direction over the next several years.Price: $34.72, Change: $-0.80, Percent Change: -2.25%

EQT to Bring Google Cloud's Agentic AI Platform to Portfolio Companies

EQT (EQT) has entered into a new partnership with Alphabet's (GOOG, GOOGL) Google Cloud to deploy artificial intelligence tools across its more than 300 portfolio companies worldwide, the companies said Thursday.The collaboration provides EQT's portfolio companies with access to Google Cloud's AI stack, including Gemini, cybersecurity tools and sovereign cloud services, along with support from Google engineers and partners to scale AI deployment, according to a statement.The partnership also aims to boost commercialization for EQT-backed software firms through Google Cloud Marketplace and co-sell programs, supporting broader enterprise adoption of agentic AI, the companies added.

Henry Hub Gas Prices May Rise Toward $4.5/MMBtu by 2029, TPH Energy Says

Stronger Permian gas supply growth could pressure US natural gas prices toward $3 per million British thermal units from its current $3.5/MMBtu outlook, TPH Energy said Thursday.European investors focused heavily on natural gas markets during TPH Energy meetings in London, with discussions centered on near-term supply growth and long-term demand expectations.Investors closely tracked Haynesville production trends, with TPH Energy expecting private operators to drive supply growth in the second half of 2026.Clients also focused on Permian Basin gas production ahead of the Hugh Brinson and Blackcomb pipeline startups planned for the Q4 of 2026, TPH Energy said.TPH Energy estimates that about 1 billion cubic feet per day of gas could remain behind pipe before new projects begin operations, although investor expectations ranged between 1.5 Bcf/d and 2 Bcf/d.The firm said stronger-than-expected Permian supply growth could push its 2027 end-of-season storage estimate above 4.1 trillion cubic feet and lower gas prices toward $3/MMBtu to $3.25/MMBtu.TPH Energy also highlighted growing interest in Northeast gas markets, where regional power demand and long-haul pipeline expansions could increase capacity demand to 10 Bcf/d by 2030.TPH currently models about 3 Bcf/d of Northeast power demand and expects stronger regional demand to improve pricing conditions for producers, including Antero Resources (AR), EQT (EQT), Expand Energy (EXE), and Range Resources (RRC).By 2030, Gulf Coast supply-demand balances could leave the market undersupplied even if Permian output fully utilizes pipeline capacity and Haynesville production continues growing at maximum rates, TPH Energy said.TPH Energy expects Henry Hub gas prices to rise toward $4.5/MMBtu by 2029 to narrow the gap with international prices, while Western Haynesville wells may require $4.25-$4.5/MMBtu returns to support development.Price: $37.77, Change: $-0.21, Percent Change: -0.55%