Increased Demand Lifted EQT Corporation (EQT) in Q1

ClearBridge Investments, an investment management company, released its “ClearBridge Mid Cap Strategy” first quarter 2025 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. Though initially positive, stories on possible tariffs, global trade conflict, and a rotation out of AI-related tech firms send equities lower in the first quarter. In this environment, the ClearBridge Mid Cap Strategy underperformed the benchmark, Russell Midcap Index in the quarter, due to idiosyncratic headwinds, strengthened by the market volatility; put pressure on several of strategy’s technology and industrial holdings. In addition, please check the fund’s top five holdings to know its best picks in 2025.

In its first quarter 2025 investor letter, ClearBridge Mid Cap Strategy emphasized stocks such as EQT Corporation (NYSE:EQT). EQT Corporation (NYSE:EQT) is a natural gas production company. The one-month return of EQT Corporation (NYSE:EQT) was -4.40%, and its shares gained 30.17% of their value over the last 52 weeks. On April 10, 2025, EQT Corporation (NYSE:EQT) stock closed at $48.49 per share with a market capitalization of $28.97 billion.

ClearBridge Mid Cap Strategy stated the following regarding EQT Corporation (NYSE:EQT) in its Q1 2025 investor letter:

“Our top contributor during the period was EQT Corporation (NYSE:EQT), North America’s largest natural gas producer. The company continued its upward trajectory from the fourth quarter as the U.S. endured its coldest winter since 1988, spurring an increase in demand. Additionally, the company continues to capitalize on strong operational performance, making additional progress on its goal of deleveraging and extending its lead as the lowest-cost producer in the basin.”

Is EQT Corporation (EQT) the Best American Energy Stock to Buy Now?

A storage facility for natural gas, showing the vast reserves of this abundant energy source.

EQT Corporation (NYSE:EQT) is not on our list of 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 88 hedge fund portfolios held EQT Corporation (NYSE:EQT) at the end of the fourth quarter compared to 48 in the third quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of EQT Corporation (NYSE:EQT) as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is as promising as NVIDIA but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

We covered EQT Corporation (NYSE:EQT) in another article, where we shared the list of best American energy stocks to buy. In addition, please check out our hedge fund investor letters Q1 2025 page for more investor letters from hedge funds and other leading investors.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.