Insider Buying: Virtus Investment Partners (NASDAQ:VRTS) Director Acquires 2,150 Shares of Stock

Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRTS) Director W Howard Morris acquired 2,150 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 12th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $129.34 per share, with a total value of $278,081.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 2,000 shares in the company, valued at $258,680. The trade was a -1,433.33% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website.

W Howard Morris also recently made the following trade(s):

• On Thursday, March 12th, W Howard Morris acquired 1,900 shares of Virtus Investment Partners stock. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $129.62 per share, for a total transaction of $246,278.00.

Virtus Investment Partners Price Performance

Virtus Investment Partners stock traded down $0.64 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $125.47. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 77,562 shares, compared to its average volume of 92,099. The company has a current ratio of 11.86, a quick ratio of 11.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27. The stock has a market cap of $840.04 million, a PE ratio of 7.42 and a beta of 1.47. Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. has a 52 week low of $124.70 and a 52 week high of $215.06. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $151.64 and a 200-day moving average price of $166.99.

Virtus Investment Partners Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 13th. Investors of record on Thursday, April 30th will be given a dividend of $2.40 per share. This represents a $9.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.7%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 30th. Virtus Investment Partners’s dividend payout ratio is currently 48.02%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Virtus Investment Partners

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of VRTS. NBT Bank N A NY grew its stake in shares of Virtus Investment Partners by 1,483.3% in the third quarter. NBT Bank N A NY now owns 190 shares of the closed-end fund’s stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 178 shares during the last quarter. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd increased its holdings in Virtus Investment Partners by 269.9% in the fourth quarter. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd now owns 307 shares of the closed-end fund’s stock valued at $50,000 after purchasing an additional 224 shares during the period. Osaic Holdings Inc. raised its position in Virtus Investment Partners by 90.4% during the 2nd quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 316 shares of the closed-end fund’s stock worth $57,000 after purchasing an additional 150 shares during the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Virtus Investment Partners by 24.1% during the 4th quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 499 shares of the closed-end fund’s stock worth $81,000 after buying an additional 97 shares during the period. Finally, Advisors Asset Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Virtus Investment Partners by 117.0% during the 4th quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. now owns 588 shares of the closed-end fund’s stock worth $96,000 after buying an additional 317 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 80.52% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have weighed in on VRTS shares. Piper Sandler decreased their target price on shares of Virtus Investment Partners from $218.00 to $206.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on Virtus Investment Partners from $168.00 to $155.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Zacks Research upgraded Virtus Investment Partners from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, January 16th. TD Cowen lowered their target price on Virtus Investment Partners from $180.00 to $173.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, Barclays reiterated an “underweight” rating and issued a $142.00 target price on shares of Virtus Investment Partners in a research report on Monday, February 9th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and an average target price of $169.00.

Virtus Investment Partners Company Profile

Virtus Investment Partners (NASDAQ: VRTS) is a publicly traded investment management company headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut. The firm offers a broad range of investment solutions to institutional, high-net-wealth, and retail investors, drawing on the expertise of multiple affiliated investment teams. Since its founding in 1995, Virtus has grown by integrating specialized asset managers and expanding its product lineup, while maintaining a focus on active management across diverse market environments.

The company’s product suite encompasses mutual funds, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), collective trusts, UCITS funds, and separately managed accounts.