Lloyds Banking Group PLC (NYSE:LYG) Receives Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

Lloyds Banking Group PLC (NYSE:LYG) has been given a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” by the thirteen analysts that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating on the company.

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Citigroup reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Lloyds Banking Group in a report on Thursday, July 16th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Lloyds Banking Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, July 4th. Berenberg Bank began coverage on Lloyds Banking Group in a research note on Wednesday, June 24th. They issued a “hold” rating on the stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods cut Lloyds Banking Group from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, July 17th. Finally, Morgan Stanley restated an “overweight” rating on shares of Lloyds Banking Group in a report on Tuesday, June 30th.

Lloyds Banking Group Stock Down 2.4%

Shares of NYSE LYG opened at $5.99 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $87.18 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.60, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.63 and a beta of 0.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.09, a quick ratio of 0.56 and a current ratio of 0.56. Lloyds Banking Group has a 1 year low of $4.05 and a 1 year high of $6.34. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $5.65 and its 200 day moving average price is $5.52.

Lloyds Banking Group (NYSE:LYG) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, March 31st. The financial services provider reported $0.13 earnings per share for the quarter. Lloyds Banking Group had a return on equity of 10.63% and a net margin of 25.11%.The company had revenue of $6.87 billion during the quarter. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Lloyds Banking Group will post 0.53 earnings per share for the current year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Lloyds Banking Group

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Royal Bank of Canada increased its holdings in Lloyds Banking Group by 10.6% in the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 1,126,734 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $4,305,000 after purchasing an additional 108,100 shares in the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its position in Lloyds Banking Group by 124.1% in the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 263,246 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $1,006,000 after purchasing an additional 145,772 shares during the period. Jane Street Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of Lloyds Banking Group by 18.4% during the first quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 812,424 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $3,103,000 after purchasing an additional 126,247 shares in the last quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Lloyds Banking Group by 162.2% in the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 11,724 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $45,000 after buying an additional 7,253 shares during the period. Finally, Acadian Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Lloyds Banking Group in the first quarter valued at about $639,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 2.15% of the company’s stock.

Lloyds Banking Group Company Profile

Lloyds Banking Group plc is a UK-based banking and financial services company that provides a broad range of retail, commercial and insurance products. Its principal consumer-facing brands include Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland, through which it offers current accounts, savings, mortgages, credit cards and personal loans. The group also delivers services to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and larger corporate clients, supplying business accounts, lending, payments and cash-management solutions.

In addition to core banking, Lloyds operates a significant wealth and insurance arm under the Scottish Widows brand, offering life insurance, pensions, investment and retirement planning products.