PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE:PHM) Given Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts

PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE:PHM) has been given a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the sixteen research firms that are covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1-year target price among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $145.00.

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the company. Bank of America increased their price objective on PulteGroup from $138.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, September 19th. Oppenheimer lowered their price target on PulteGroup from $168.00 to $165.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 23rd. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on PulteGroup from $150.00 to $165.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, October 7th. Evercore ISI lowered their price target on PulteGroup from $198.00 to $195.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 23rd. Finally, Wolfe Research downgraded PulteGroup from an “outperform” rating to a “peer perform” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 14th.

PulteGroup Price Performance

Shares of PHM opened at $135.27 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $27.74 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.98, a P/E/G ratio of 0.56 and a beta of 1.63. PulteGroup has a fifty-two week low of $86.59 and a fifty-two week high of $149.47. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14, a current ratio of 0.73 and a quick ratio of 0.73. The business’s 50-day moving average is $136.20 and its 200-day moving average is $126.45.

PulteGroup (NYSE:PHM) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 22nd. The construction company reported $3.35 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.10 by $0.25. PulteGroup had a return on equity of 25.30% and a net margin of 16.64%. The firm had revenue of $4.48 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.27 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.90 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 11.8% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts expect that PulteGroup will post 12.94 EPS for the current fiscal year.

PulteGroup Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 3rd. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 17th will be given a $0.22 dividend. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.65%. This is a boost from PulteGroup’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.20. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 17th. PulteGroup’s dividend payout ratio is currently 5.90%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of PHM. FMR LLC lifted its position in PulteGroup by 102.3% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 9,040,828 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $1,297,630,000 after purchasing an additional 4,571,757 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its position in PulteGroup by 5.5% in the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 11,254,274 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $1,647,364,000 after purchasing an additional 585,735 shares during the period. Westfield Capital Management Co. LP bought a new position in PulteGroup in the third quarter worth $66,485,000. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank lifted its position in PulteGroup by 357.1% in the third quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 521,958 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $74,917,000 after purchasing an additional 407,764 shares during the period. Finally, KBC Group NV lifted its position in PulteGroup by 1,020.0% in the third quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 435,925 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $62,568,000 after purchasing an additional 397,003 shares during the period. 89.90% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

PulteGroup Company Profile

PulteGroup, Inc, through its subsidiaries, primarily engages in the homebuilding business in the United States. It acquires and develops land primarily for residential purposes; and constructs housing on such land. The company also offers various home designs, including single-family detached, townhomes, condominiums, and duplexes under the Centex, Pulte Homes, Del Webb, DiVosta Homes, John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods, and American West brand names.