Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR) Receives Average Rating of “Hold” from Brokerages

Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR) has received a consensus recommendation of “Hold” from the seven brokerages that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price objective among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $239.17.

A number of analysts have weighed in on BR shares. StockNews.com downgraded Broadridge Financial Solutions from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, February 27th. UBS Group lifted their price objective on shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions from $250.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions from $246.00 to $259.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions from $207.00 to $222.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions from $231.00 to $249.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, February 3rd.

Broadridge Financial Solutions Stock Down 1.9 %

Shares of BR opened at $237.79 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $27.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.21 and a beta of 1.05. Broadridge Financial Solutions has a 52 week low of $188.30 and a 52 week high of $246.58. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $234.85 and a 200-day moving average of $224.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64, a quick ratio of 1.35 and a current ratio of 1.35.

Broadridge Financial Solutions (NYSE:BR) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 31st. The business services provider reported $1.56 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.32 by $0.24. Broadridge Financial Solutions had a return on equity of 44.40% and a net margin of 11.36%. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.92 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Broadridge Financial Solutions will post 8.53 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Broadridge Financial Solutions Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 3rd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 13th will be given a $0.88 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 13th. This represents a $3.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.48%. Broadridge Financial Solutions’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 55.09%.

Insider Activity

In related news, VP Laura Matlin sold 514 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $241.60, for a total value of $124,182.40. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 6,602 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,595,043.20. This trade represents a 7.22 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Robert N. Duelks sold 485 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $237.93, for a total transaction of $115,396.05. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 4,960 shares in the company, valued at $1,180,132.80. This represents a 8.91 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 6,441 shares of company stock worth $1,547,835. 1.30% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in BR. True Wealth Design LLC raised its stake in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions by 2,028.6% during the third quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 149 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 142 shares in the last quarter. Minot DeBlois Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions during the fourth quarter worth approximately $34,000. Fortitude Family Office LLC raised its stake in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions by 246.7% during the fourth quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC now owns 156 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 111 shares in the last quarter. Gen Wealth Partners Inc purchased a new position in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions during the fourth quarter worth approximately $36,000. Finally, FSA Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions during the third quarter worth approximately $39,000. 90.03% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Broadridge Financial Solutions

Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc provides investor communications and technology-driven solutions for the financial services industry. The company's Investor Communication Solutions segment processes and distributes proxy materials to investors in equity securities and mutual funds, as well as facilitates related vote processing services; and distributes regulatory reports, class action, and corporate action/reorganization event information, as well as tax reporting solutions.