Regional Management (NYSE:RM) Upgraded to Hold at Zacks Research

Zacks Research upgraded shares of Regional Management (NYSE:RM) from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note released on Monday,Zacks.com reports.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Regional Management in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Regional Management from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Saturday. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $30.00.

Regional Management Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:RM opened at $38.86 on Monday. Regional Management has a 1 year low of $25.41 and a 1 year high of $46.00. The stock has a market capitalization of $377.33 million, a P/E ratio of 9.39 and a beta of 1.07. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $38.50 and a 200-day simple moving average of $37.82.

Regional Management (NYSE:RM) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The credit services provider reported $1.42 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.39 by $0.03. Regional Management had a net margin of 6.57% and a return on equity of 11.43%. The company had revenue of $165.49 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $162.84 million. Analysts predict that Regional Management will post 4.7 earnings per share for the current year.

Regional Management Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 16th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, November 25th were paid a dividend of $0.30 per share. This represents a $1.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, November 25th. Regional Management’s dividend payout ratio is 29.06%.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Michael R. Dunn sold 5,580 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $37.46, for a total transaction of $209,026.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 103,109 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,862,463.14. This trade represents a 5.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CAO Steven B. Barnette sold 1,640 shares of Regional Management stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.00, for a total value of $60,680.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 21,338 shares in the company, valued at approximately $789,506. This represents a 7.14% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold a total of 36,011 shares of company stock valued at $1,393,815 in the last 90 days. 10.50% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Regional Management by 41.1% during the second quarter. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. now owns 947 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 276 shares during the period. Wexford Capital LP acquired a new stake in Regional Management during the third quarter worth about $32,000. Advisory Services Network LLC bought a new position in Regional Management in the 3rd quarter valued at about $39,000. CWM LLC boosted its position in shares of Regional Management by 43.7% during the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,065 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $41,000 after acquiring an additional 324 shares in the last quarter. Finally, BNP Paribas Financial Markets lifted its stake in Regional Management by 45.3% during the third quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 2,077 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $81,000 after purchasing an additional 648 shares during the last quarter. 98.89% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Regional Management Company Profile

Regional Management Corp., headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina, is a consumer finance company specializing in installment loan products for underbanked individuals. Since its founding in 1977, the company has developed a network of field-based branches alongside a digital platform to offer credit solutions in rural and small-town markets across the United States.

The company’s core offerings include consumer installment loans for everyday purchases, auto refinancing and lease buyouts, as well as ancillary services such as insurance referrals.