National CineMedia (NASDAQ:NCMI) Given “Speculative Buy” Rating at Benchmark

Benchmark restated their speculative buy rating on shares of National CineMedia (NASDAQ:NCMI) in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday morning, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a $6.00 target price on the business services provider’s stock.

A number of other equities research analysts have also weighed in on NCMI. B. Riley upgraded shares of National CineMedia from a neutral rating to a buy rating and boosted their target price for the company from $4.50 to $6.75 in a research note on Tuesday, March 19th. StockNews.com upgraded National CineMedia from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 16th. Finally, Wedbush raised their price objective on shares of National CineMedia from $4.50 to $5.50 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, March 19th.

National CineMedia Price Performance

Shares of NCMI opened at $4.61 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $447.31 million, a P/E ratio of 0.15 and a beta of 1.93. National CineMedia has a twelve month low of $2.57 and a twelve month high of $5.75. The company has a quick ratio of 2.46, a current ratio of 2.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $4.67 and a 200 day moving average of $4.29.

National CineMedia (NASDAQ:NCMI) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, March 18th. The business services provider reported $0.09 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.10 by ($0.01). National CineMedia had a negative return on equity of 22.42% and a net margin of 426.68%. The business had revenue of $90.90 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $77.25 million. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that National CineMedia will post 0.05 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On National CineMedia

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Hill Investment Group Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of National CineMedia by 67.4% in the fourth quarter. Hill Investment Group Partners LLC now owns 17,116 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $71,000 after purchasing an additional 6,889 shares in the last quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in National CineMedia by 38.9% in the 1st quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. now owns 23,897 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $123,000 after buying an additional 6,690 shares in the last quarter. State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D bought a new stake in National CineMedia during the third quarter valued at about $136,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new stake in National CineMedia during the third quarter valued at about $212,000. Finally, Jump Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of National CineMedia in the fourth quarter valued at about $218,000. 69.49% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About National CineMedia

National CineMedia, Inc, through its subsidiary, National CineMedia, LLC, operates cinema advertising network in North America. It engages in the sale of advertising to national, regional, and local businesses in Noovie, a cinema advertising and entertainment show seen on movie screens; and sells advertising on its Lobby Entertainment Network, a series of strategically-placed screens located in movie theater lobbies, as well as other forms of advertising and promotions in theatre lobbies.