Dallas, Texas-based Atmos Energy Corporation (ATO) distributes natural gas. With a market cap of $29.7 billion, the company provides natural gas marketing and procurement services to large customers, as well as manages storage and pipeline assets. The leading natural gas utility is expected to announce its fiscal third-quarter earnings for 2026 after the market closes on Wednesday, Aug. 5.
Ahead of the event, analysts expect ATO to report a profit of $1.36 per share on a diluted basis, up 17.2% from $1.16 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company beat the consensus estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing the forecast on another occasion.
For the full year, analysts expect ATO to report EPS of $8.45, up 13.3% from $7.46 in fiscal 2025. Its EPS is expected to rise 6.5% year over year to $9 in fiscal 2027.
ATO stock has underperformed the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 18.4% gains over the past 52 weeks, with shares up 14.4% during this period. However, it outperformed the State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF’s (XLU) 9.7% returns over the same time frame.
On May 6, ATO shares closed down by 1.3% after reporting its Q2 results. Its EPS of $3.47 exceeded Wall Street expectations of $3.37. The company’s revenue was $2 billion, falling short of Wall Street forecasts of $2.2 billion. ATO expects full-year EPS to be $8.40 to $8.50.
Analysts’ consensus opinion on ATO stock is cautious, with a “Hold” rating overall. Out of 16 analysts covering the stock, three advise a “Strong Buy” rating, and 13 give a “Hold.” ATO’s average analyst price target is $187.36, indicating a potential upside of 5.4% from the current levels.
