AmeriGas Partners LP (APU): Today's Featured Utilities Winner

AmeriGas Partners (APU) pushed the Utilities sector higher today making it today's featured utilities winner. The sector as a whole closed the day down 0.7%. By the end of trading, AmeriGas Partners rose 34 cents (0.9%) to $38.79 on light volume. Throughout the day, 141,566 shares of AmeriGas Partners exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 334,100 shares. The stock ranged in a price between $38.45-$39.07 after having opened the day at $38.83 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $38.45. Other companies within the Utilities sector that increased today were: China Hydroelectric Corporation (CHC), up 9.1%, Active Power (ACPW), up 3.3%, and Niska Gas Storage Partners (NKA), up 3%.

AmeriGas Partners, L.P., through its subsidiary, AmeriGas Propane, L.P., operates as a retail and wholesale distributor of propane gas in the United States. AmeriGas Partners has a market cap of $3.64 billion and is part of the utilities industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 20.5, below the average utilities industry P/E ratio of 36 and above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are down 16.2% year to date as of the close of trading on Monday. Currently there is one analyst that rates AmeriGas Partners a buy, two analysts rate it a sell, and three rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates AmeriGas Partners as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its robust revenue growth, expanding profit margins and increase in net income. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had lackluster performance in the stock itself.

• You can view the full AmeriGas Ratings Report.

On the negative front, Clean Energy Fuels Corporation (CLNE), down 5.7%, Distribution and Marketing Company of the N (EDN), down 5.5%, EQT (EQT), down 4.7%, and GenOn Energy (GEN), down 4.6%, were all losers within the utilities sector with American Electric Power (AEP) being today's utilities sector loser.

• Use our utilities section to find sector-relevant news.
• Or find some new ideas from our top rated stocks lists.

For investors not wanting singular stock exposure, ETFs may be of interest. Investors who are bullish on the utilities sector could consider Utilities Select Sector SPDR (XLU) while those bearish on the utilities sector could consider ProShares UltraShort Utilities (SDP).

• Find other investment ideas from our top rated ETFs lists.

For more information on AmeriGas Partners LP click any of the following:

• AmeriGas Partners LP Stock Price

• AmeriGas Partners LP Analyst Ratings

• AmeriGas Partners LP Key Stats & Profile

• AmeriGas Partners LP Earnings

• AmeriGas Partners LP Ratio Comparison

• AmeriGas Partners LP Growth Rates

• AmeriGas Partners LP Balance Sheet

• AmeriGas Partners LP Cash Flow

• AmeriGas Partners LP Income Statement