Barclays (NYSE:BCS) Cut to “Buy” at StockNews.com

Barclays (NYSE:BCS) was downgraded by equities researchers at StockNews.com from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued on Wednesday.

A number of other equities research analysts also recently commented on BCS. The Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on Barclays in a report on Tuesday, October 8th. They issued a “buy” rating for the company. Kepler Capital Markets initiated coverage on shares of Barclays in a report on Thursday, September 5th. They set a “buy” rating for the company.

Barclays Trading Up 2.6 %

Barclays stock traded up $0.35 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $13.65. 16,616,747 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 14,127,467. The firm has a market capitalization of $49.25 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.29 and a beta of 1.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.67, a quick ratio of 1.35 and a current ratio of 1.35. Barclays has a fifty-two week low of $7.07 and a fifty-two week high of $13.76. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $12.88 and its 200-day moving average is $11.97.

Barclays (NYSE:BCS) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 24th. The financial services provider reported $0.56 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $8.52 billion for the quarter. Barclays had a net margin of 17.83% and a return on equity of 6.30%. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.42 earnings per share. On average, analysts predict that Barclays will post 1.85 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Barclays

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of BCS. Rothschild Investment LLC bought a new stake in Barclays during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Symphony Financial Ltd. Co. acquired a new stake in shares of Barclays during the third quarter worth $42,000. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC lifted its position in Barclays by 32.4% in the 3rd quarter. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC now owns 4,624 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $56,000 after acquiring an additional 1,132 shares in the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. increased its holdings in Barclays by 452.5% during the 2nd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 6,304 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $68,000 after purchasing an additional 5,163 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Certuity LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Barclays in the 2nd quarter valued at about $107,000. 3.39% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Barclays Company Profile

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.