Texas Roadhouse, Inc. (NASDAQ:TXRH) Receives Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

Shares of Texas Roadhouse, Inc. (NASDAQ:TXRH) have earned an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty-six analysts that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Thirteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, twelve have assigned a buy recommendation and one has assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $196.5455.

A number of analysts have weighed in on TXRH shares. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed a “market perform” rating and set a $165.00 price objective on shares of Texas Roadhouse in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Benchmark restated a “hold” rating on shares of Texas Roadhouse in a research note on Monday, February 23rd. Barclays set a $188.00 price target on Texas Roadhouse in a report on Friday, February 20th. BTIG Research reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $200.00 price objective on shares of Texas Roadhouse in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Finally, KeyCorp reissued a “sector weight” rating on shares of Texas Roadhouse in a research note on Friday, February 20th.

Texas Roadhouse Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:TXRH opened at $170.89 on Friday. Texas Roadhouse has a one year low of $148.73 and a one year high of $199.99. The stock has a market capitalization of $11.30 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.06, a PEG ratio of 1.86 and a beta of 0.86. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $182.00 and a 200-day simple moving average of $173.46.

Texas Roadhouse (NASDAQ:TXRH) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The restaurant operator reported $1.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.53 by ($0.25). The company had revenue of $1.48 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.50 billion. Texas Roadhouse had a return on equity of 27.88% and a net margin of 6.90%.The business’s quarterly revenue was up 3.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.73 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Texas Roadhouse will post 7.23 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Texas Roadhouse Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 17th will be issued a $0.75 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 17th. This is a positive change from Texas Roadhouse’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.68. This represents a $3.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.8%. Texas Roadhouse’s payout ratio is presently 49.26%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Texas Roadhouse

In related news, CTO Hernan E. Mujica sold 5,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $170.00, for a total value of $850,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief technology officer owned 15,552 shares in the company, valued at $2,643,840. This trade represents a 24.33% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CEO Gerald L. Morgan sold 5,000 shares of Texas Roadhouse stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $196.00, for a total value of $980,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 91,774 shares in the company, valued at $17,987,704. This represents a 5.17% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 22,988 shares of company stock valued at $4,133,794. Insiders own 0.50% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Texas Roadhouse

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of TXRH. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its position in Texas Roadhouse by 12.0% in the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 2,423 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $404,000 after acquiring an additional 259 shares in the last quarter. Focus Partners Wealth lifted its holdings in Texas Roadhouse by 23.3% in the first quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 6,124 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $1,020,000 after acquiring an additional 1,157 shares during the period. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Texas Roadhouse by 36.0% during the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 419 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $70,000 after purchasing an additional 111 shares in the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Texas Roadhouse during the 2nd quarter worth $657,000. Finally, Aviva PLC grew its stake in shares of Texas Roadhouse by 4.2% during the 2nd quarter. Aviva PLC now owns 2,428 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $455,000 after purchasing an additional 98 shares during the period. 94.82% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Texas Roadhouse

Texas Roadhouse, Inc is a casual dining restaurant chain specializing in hand‐cut steaks, fall‐off‐the‐bone ribs, chicken, seafood and house specialties. Each restaurant features a Western‐themed décor, open kitchens and a signature line dance presentation of fresh, made‐from‐scratch sides and breads. The company emphasizes an energetic dining experience, focusing on hospitality, value and a family‐friendly environment.

The concept was created in 1993 by founder Kent Taylor, who sought to combine high‐quality steaks with an approachable, community‐oriented atmosphere.