Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE:IPG) Earns Hold Rating from Analysts at StockNews.com

StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE:IPG) in a research report released on Friday. The firm issued a hold rating on the business services provider’s stock.

IPG has been the topic of several other reports. Barclays raised Interpublic Group of Companies from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and upped their price target for the company from $32.00 to $36.00 in a research report on Friday, January 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Interpublic Group of Companies from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and increased their target price for the stock from $32.00 to $39.00 in a report on Monday, January 27th. Argus lowered shares of Interpublic Group of Companies from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 18th. BNP Paribas upgraded shares of Interpublic Group of Companies from an “underperform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $38.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 10th. Finally, Citigroup reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $35.00 target price on shares of Interpublic Group of Companies in a report on Tuesday, April 15th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $33.67.

Interpublic Group of Companies Price Performance

IPG opened at $23.91 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $8.91 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.07 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a 50-day moving average of $26.11 and a 200-day moving average of $28.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a current ratio of 1.09. Interpublic Group of Companies has a 1-year low of $22.51 and a 1-year high of $33.05.

Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE:IPG) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 12th. The business services provider reported $1.11 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.15 by ($0.04). Interpublic Group of Companies had a net margin of 6.45% and a return on equity of 27.10%. Equities analysts expect that Interpublic Group of Companies will post 2.66 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Interpublic Group of Companies declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a share buyback program on Wednesday, February 12th that allows the company to buyback $155.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization allows the business services provider to buy up to 1.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are often a sign that the company’s board believes its stock is undervalued.

Interpublic Group of Companies Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 17th. Investors of record on Monday, March 3rd were issued a $0.33 dividend. This represents a $1.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.52%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 3rd. Interpublic Group of Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 72.13%.

Insider Transactions at Interpublic Group of Companies

In other news, CFO Ellen Tobi Johnson sold 21,427 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.82, for a total value of $574,672.14. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 143,373 shares in the company, valued at $3,845,263.86. This trade represents a 13.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 0.42% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Interpublic Group of Companies

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Allworth Financial LP lifted its holdings in shares of Interpublic Group of Companies by 75.8% in the fourth quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 1,113 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 480 shares during the period. Sentry Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Interpublic Group of Companies in the 1st quarter worth approximately $31,000. OFI Invest Asset Management acquired a new stake in Interpublic Group of Companies during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Raiffeisen Bank International AG bought a new stake in Interpublic Group of Companies during the fourth quarter worth approximately $42,000. Finally, FNY Investment Advisers LLC acquired a new position in Interpublic Group of Companies in the first quarter worth approximately $44,000. 98.43% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.