With a market cap of $29.7 billion, Atmos Energy Corporation (ATO) is one of the largest fully regulated natural-gas-only utility companies in the United States. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, the company focuses primarily on the distribution, transmission, and storage of natural gas for residential, commercial, industrial, and public-sector customers.
Shares of this natural gas distributor have outperformed the broader market over the past year. ATO has gained 14.5% over this time frame, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has rallied nearly 27.9%. In 2026, ATO stock is up 6.1%, trailing the SPX’s 9.2% rise on a YTD basis.
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Zooming in further, ATO has surpassed the Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU). The exchange-traded fund has gained 13.2% over the past year.
www.barchart.com On May 6, Atmos’ shares dipped 1.3% after the company reported its FY2026 Q2 earnings. It generated net income of $984.9 million, or $5.92 per diluted share. It maintained a strong balance sheet, ending the quarter with 60.9% equity capitalization and approximately $4.1 billion in available liquidity. Due to stronger-than-expected performance, management raised fiscal 2026 EPS guidance to a range of $8.40–$8.50, up from its previous guidance of $8.15–$8.35.
For the current fiscal year, ending in September 2026, analysts expect ATO’s EPS to grow 13.1% to $8.44 on a diluted basis. The company’s earnings surprise history is mixed. It beat the consensus estimate in three of the last four quarters and missed it once.
Among the 15 analysts covering ATO stock, the consensus is a “Hold.” That’s based on two “Strong Buy” ratings and 13 “Holds.”
www.barchart.com On May 18, 2026, Truist Securities analyst Richard Sunderland reiterated a “Hold” rating on Atmos Energy, while lowering the firm’s price target to $187 from $195.
The mean price target of $188.67 implies a 6.1% premium to the prevailing market prices. The Street-high price target of $206 suggests an upside potential of 15.9%.
On the date of publication, Kritika Sarmah did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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