Maximus, Inc. (NYSE:MMS) Sees Significant Increase in Short Interest

Maximus, Inc. (NYSE:MMS) was the recipient of a large increase in short interest in November. As of November 15th, there was short interest totalling 1,270,000 shares, an increase of 64.3% from the October 31st total of 773,200 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 528,200 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.4 days. Approximately 2.1% of the company’s stock are sold short.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, StockNews.com lowered shares of Maximus from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider Michelle F. Link sold 1,363 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $92.56, for a total value of $126,159.28. Following the sale, the insider now owns 6,567 shares in the company, valued at $607,841.52. This represents a 17.19 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Company insiders own 1.40% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Maximus

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. V Square Quantitative Management LLC purchased a new stake in Maximus during the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its position in Maximus by 224.5% during the second quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 344 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 238 shares during the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. lifted its holdings in Maximus by 201.5% in the second quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 392 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 262 shares during the period. Archer Investment Corp boosted its position in Maximus by 8,788.9% in the second quarter. Archer Investment Corp now owns 800 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $69,000 after purchasing an additional 791 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Quarry LP grew its stake in shares of Maximus by 48.0% during the 3rd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 1,017 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $95,000 after purchasing an additional 330 shares during the period. 97.21% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Maximus Stock Performance

MMS stock opened at $72.50 on Friday. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $87.17 and its 200 day simple moving average is $87.75. The company has a current ratio of 1.49, a quick ratio of 1.49 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59. Maximus has a 12-month low of $71.75 and a 12-month high of $93.97. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.37 billion, a PE ratio of 14.50 and a beta of 0.77.

Maximus Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Saturday, November 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.30 per share. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.66%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, November 15th. Maximus’s payout ratio is currently 24.00%.

Maximus Company Profile

Maximus, Inc operates as a provider of government services in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: U.S. Federal Services, U.S. Services, and Outside the U.S. The U.S. Services segment offers program eligibility support and enrollment; centralized multilingual customer contact centers, multichannel, and digital self-service options for enrollment; application assistance and independent health plan choice counseling; beneficiary outreach, education, eligibility, enrollment, and redeterminations; and person-centered independent disability, long-term sick, and other health assessments.