Barclays (NYSE:BCS) Rating Lowered to “Hold” at StockNews.com

StockNews.com downgraded shares of Barclays (NYSE:BCS) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report released on Thursday.

Barclays Stock Performance

BCS stock opened at $15.70 on Thursday. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $14.28 and its two-hundred day moving average is $13.14. The stock has a market capitalization of $56.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.53, a PEG ratio of 0.39 and a beta of 1.40. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.33, a quick ratio of 1.29 and a current ratio of 1.29. Barclays has a 1 year low of $8.37 and a 1 year high of $16.02.

Barclays (NYSE:BCS) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 18th. The financial services provider reported $0.34 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.19 by $0.15. Barclays had a return on equity of 7.74% and a net margin of 20.81%. On average, research analysts predict that Barclays will post 2 EPS for the current year.

Barclays Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 4th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be given a dividend of $0.2737 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. This is a positive change from Barclays’s previous semi-annual dividend of $0.27. This represents a yield of 2.7%. Barclays’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 28.80%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Barclays

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Lindbrook Capital LLC grew its position in Barclays by 7.7% during the fourth quarter. Lindbrook Capital LLC now owns 9,476 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $126,000 after purchasing an additional 674 shares in the last quarter. Covenant Partners LLC boosted its position in Barclays by 0.8% during the fourth quarter. Covenant Partners LLC now owns 102,166 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $1,358,000 after purchasing an additional 772 shares during the last quarter. Choreo LLC grew its stake in Barclays by 1.7% in the fourth quarter. Choreo LLC now owns 46,860 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $623,000 after purchasing an additional 802 shares in the last quarter. Forum Financial Management LP increased its position in Barclays by 1.8% in the 4th quarter. Forum Financial Management LP now owns 48,199 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $641,000 after purchasing an additional 874 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Lake Street Advisors Group LLC raised its stake in shares of Barclays by 2.2% during the 4th quarter. Lake Street Advisors Group LLC now owns 40,500 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $538,000 after purchasing an additional 880 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 3.39% of the company’s stock.

About Barclays

Barclays PLC provides various financial services in the United Kingdom, Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The company operates through Barclays UK and Barclays International division segments. It offers financial services, such as retail banking, credit cards, wholesale banking, investment banking, wealth management, and investment management services.