First Trust Advisors LP Acquires 61,098 Shares of Accel Entertainment, Inc. $ACEL

First Trust Advisors LP boosted its holdings in shares of Accel Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:ACEL) by 43.0% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 203,057 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 61,098 shares during the quarter. First Trust Advisors LP’s holdings in Accel Entertainment were worth $2,215,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the business. Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd raised its position in shares of Accel Entertainment by 249.3% during the 1st quarter. Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd now owns 139,441 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,521,000 after buying an additional 99,521 shares in the last quarter. UBS Group AG grew its position in Accel Entertainment by 71.6% in the fourth quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 200,736 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,290,000 after acquiring an additional 83,725 shares in the last quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC grew its position in Accel Entertainment by 105.6% in the fourth quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 118,610 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,352,000 after acquiring an additional 60,917 shares in the last quarter. 9823 Capital L.P. bought a new stake in Accel Entertainment during the fourth quarter worth approximately $180,000. Finally, FourThought Financial Partners LLC bought a new stake in Accel Entertainment during the fourth quarter worth approximately $204,000. Institutional investors own 55.39% of the company’s stock.

Accel Entertainment Stock Performance

Accel Entertainment stock opened at $12.19 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.91, a current ratio of 2.47 and a quick ratio of 2.64. Accel Entertainment, Inc. has a 1-year low of $9.55 and a 1-year high of $14.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $991.74 million, a P/E ratio of 18.19 and a beta of 1.02. The company’s 50-day moving average is $12.51 and its 200 day moving average is $11.82.

Accel Entertainment (NYSE:ACEL) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 4th. The company reported $0.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.19 by ($0.04). Accel Entertainment had a return on equity of 22.30% and a net margin of 4.08%.The firm had revenue of $368.13 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $356.66 million. Research analysts forecast that Accel Entertainment, Inc. will post 0.7 EPS for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

ACEL has been the subject of several analyst reports. Citizens Jmp raised their price objective on Accel Entertainment from $14.00 to $15.00 and gave the company a “market outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday. National Bank Financial set a $15.00 target price on Accel Entertainment in a research report on Wednesday. Citigroup reissued a “market outperform” rating on shares of Accel Entertainment in a research report on Wednesday. Wall Street Zen lowered Accel Entertainment from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, May 2nd. Finally, Zacks Research downgraded Accel Entertainment from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, May 22nd. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $15.00.

Insider Transactions at Accel Entertainment

In related news, insider Derek Harmer sold 20,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $13.00, for a total transaction of $260,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 187,827 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,441,751. This trade represents a 9.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director Bruce D. Wardinski acquired 50,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 11th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $11.55 per share, with a total value of $577,500.00. Following the acquisition, the director owned 50,000 shares in the company, valued at $577,500. This trade represents a ∞ increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Company insiders own 14.47% of the company’s stock.

Accel Entertainment Profile

Accel Entertainment, Inc is a Chicago-based gaming and entertainment company specializing in the provision of regulated electronic gaming terminals and related management services to licensed establishments across the United States. The company’s core offerings include video gaming terminals (VGTs), digital payment solutions, player loyalty programs and compliance support, all designed to enhance customer engagement and operational efficiency for bars, restaurants, truck stops and convenience stores.

Founded in 2005, Accel Entertainment has built a network that spans multiple states, including Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Iowa.