Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Hold” by Brokerages

Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) has earned an average recommendation of “Hold” from the eleven analysts that are covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $192.40.

Several analysts have commented on DFS shares. StockNews.com cut Discover Financial Services from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of Discover Financial Services from $185.00 to $214.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Barclays increased their price target on shares of Discover Financial Services from $186.00 to $209.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Truist Financial decreased their price target on shares of Discover Financial Services from $262.00 to $219.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday. Finally, UBS Group upgraded Discover Financial Services from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $150.00 to $239.00 in a report on Monday, January 13th.

Discover Financial Services Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:DFS opened at $170.22 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of $42.83 billion, a PE ratio of 10.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 1.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a current ratio of 1.09. Discover Financial Services has a one year low of $119.31 and a one year high of $205.76. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $186.06 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $169.36.

Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 22nd. The financial services provider reported $5.11 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.13 by $1.98. Discover Financial Services had a return on equity of 26.18% and a net margin of 17.29%. On average, analysts forecast that Discover Financial Services will post 13.88 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Discover Financial Services Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 6th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 23rd will be given a $0.70 dividend. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.64%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 23rd. Discover Financial Services’s payout ratio is 17.54%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Discover Financial Services

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. bought a new stake in Discover Financial Services in the third quarter valued at about $30,000. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. bought a new position in Discover Financial Services in the 4th quarter worth approximately $33,000. Flagship Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Discover Financial Services in the fourth quarter worth about $34,000. Mattson Financial Services LLC acquired a new stake in Discover Financial Services in the fourth quarter worth approximately $34,000. Finally, Grove Bank & Trust boosted its stake in Discover Financial Services by 78.1% during the 4th quarter. Grove Bank & Trust now owns 203 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 89 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.94% of the company’s stock.

Discover Financial Services Company Profile

Discover Financial Services, through its subsidiaries, provides digital banking products and services, and payment services in the United States. It operates in two segments, Digital Banking and Payment Services. The Digital Banking segment offers Discover-branded credit cards to individuals; personal loans, home loans, and other consumer lending; and direct-to-consumer deposit products comprising savings accounts, certificates of deposit, money market accounts, IRA certificates of deposit, IRA savings accounts and checking accounts, and sweep accounts.