Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) Receives $126.29 Consensus PT from Brokerages

Shares of Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) have been given a consensus rating of “Hold” by the eighteen ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $126.29.

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on shares of Discover Financial Services from $105.00 to $135.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 10th. Citigroup upped their target price on Discover Financial Services from $127.00 to $168.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, February 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on Discover Financial Services from $110.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 3rd. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed a “sector perform” rating and issued a $140.00 price target (up from $117.00) on shares of Discover Financial Services in a research note on Wednesday, February 21st. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their price objective on Discover Financial Services from $139.00 to $121.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 19th.

Discover Financial Services Trading Up 0.4 %

NYSE DFS opened at $125.06 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $31.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.26, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.74 and a beta of 1.43. Discover Financial Services has a fifty-two week low of $79.04 and a fifty-two week high of $131.65. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $124.34 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $108.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.49, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a current ratio of 1.05.

Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 18th. The financial services provider reported $1.10 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.98 by ($1.88). The business had revenue of $4.21 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.07 billion. Discover Financial Services had a return on equity of 16.74% and a net margin of 10.56%. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $3.58 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that Discover Financial Services will post 11.48 earnings per share for the current year.

Discover Financial Services Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 6th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, May 23rd will be issued a dividend of $0.70 per share. This represents a $2.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.24%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, May 22nd. Discover Financial Services’s payout ratio is presently 31.93%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Partnership Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Discover Financial Services during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC purchased a new stake in Discover Financial Services during the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. MeadowBrook Investment Advisors LLC bought a new position in Discover Financial Services in the fourth quarter valued at about $31,000. Riverview Trust Co bought a new position in Discover Financial Services in the first quarter valued at about $34,000. Finally, Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Discover Financial Services in the fourth quarter worth about $35,000. 86.94% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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; private student loans, 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.