Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE:IPG) Reaches New 12-Month Low – Should You Sell?

Shares of The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (NYSE:IPG) hit a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as $27.95 and last traded at $28.00, with a volume of 2001014 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $29.20.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms recently commented on IPG. Wells Fargo & Company reaffirmed an “underweight” rating and set a $26.00 target price (down from $28.00) on shares of Interpublic Group of Companies in a report on Tuesday, October 22nd. Barclays dropped their price objective on shares of Interpublic Group of Companies from $32.50 to $32.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, October 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered shares of Interpublic Group of Companies from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and cut their target price for the company from $36.00 to $33.00 in a report on Tuesday, October 1st. BNP Paribas downgraded shares of Interpublic Group of Companies from a “neutral” rating to an “underperform” rating in a report on Monday, September 30th. Finally, UBS Group lowered shares of Interpublic Group of Companies from a “neutral” rating to a “sell” rating and dropped their price target for the company from $34.00 to $29.00 in a research report on Thursday, September 12th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $30.57.

Interpublic Group of Companies Price Performance

The company has a quick ratio of 1.09, a current ratio of 1.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77. The company has a market capitalization of $10.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.78 and a beta of 1.10. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $30.62 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $30.59.

Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE:IPG) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, October 22nd. The business services provider reported $0.70 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.70. The business had revenue of $2.24 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.30 billion. Interpublic Group of Companies had a net margin of 7.44% and a return on equity of 27.76%. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 2.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.70 earnings per share. Equities research analysts predict that The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. will post 2.82 earnings per share for the current year.

Interpublic Group of Companies Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 2nd will be given a $0.33 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, December 2nd. This represents a $1.32 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.87%. Interpublic Group of Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 62.26%.

Institutional Trading of Interpublic Group of Companies

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Benjamin Edwards Inc. lifted its holdings in Interpublic Group of Companies by 73.8% in the 2nd quarter. Benjamin Edwards Inc. now owns 883 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 375 shares in the last quarter. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Interpublic Group of Companies in the third quarter worth about $26,000. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. boosted its position in Interpublic Group of Companies by 652.2% during the second quarter. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. now owns 1,038 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 900 shares during the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Interpublic Group of Companies during the 2nd quarter valued at about $32,000. Finally, Ashton Thomas Securities LLC acquired a new stake in Interpublic Group of Companies in the 3rd quarter valued at about $32,000. 98.43% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Interpublic Group of Companies Company Profile

The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc provides advertising and marketing services worldwide. It operates in three segments: Media, Data & Engagement Solutions, Integrated Advertising & Creativity Led Solutions, and Specialized Communications & Experiential Solutions. The Media, Data & Engagement Solutions segment provides media and communications services, digital services and products, advertising and marketing technology, e-commerce services, data management and analytics, strategic consulting, and digital brand experience under the IPG Mediabrands, UM, Initiative, Kinesso, Acxiom, Huge, MRM, and R/GA brand names.