Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) Price Target Raised to $145.00 at Jefferies Financial Group

Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) had its price objective hoisted by Jefferies Financial Group from $137.00 to $145.00 in a research report released on Friday morning, Benzinga reports. Jefferies Financial Group currently has a buy rating on the financial services provider’s stock.

Several other research analysts have also weighed in on DFS. Piper Sandler increased their target price on Discover Financial Services from $127.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, February 23rd. Wolfe Research reissued a peer perform rating on shares of Discover Financial Services in a research report on Wednesday, February 21st. Morgan Stanley raised Discover Financial Services from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and raised their price objective for the company from $105.00 to $133.00 in a research report on Thursday, February 8th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price objective on Discover Financial Services from $139.00 to $121.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 19th. Finally, HSBC raised their price objective on Discover Financial Services from $107.00 to $144.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, March 21st. Twelve analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $125.94.

Discover Financial Services Price Performance

DFS stock opened at $125.35 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.13, a current ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.49. The stock has a market capitalization of $31.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.29, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.88 and a beta of 1.45. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $122.02 and its 200-day simple moving average is $105.90. Discover Financial Services has a 52-week low of $79.04 and a 52-week high of $131.65.

Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 18th. The financial services provider reported $1.10 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.98 by ($1.88). The firm had revenue of $4.21 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.07 billion. Discover Financial Services had a return on equity of 16.74% and a net margin of 10.56%. During the same period last year, the business posted $3.58 earnings per share. Equities research analysts expect that Discover Financial Services will post 11.23 EPS for the current year.

Discover Financial Services Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 6th. Investors of record on Thursday, May 23rd will be issued a $0.70 dividend. This represents a $2.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.23%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, May 22nd. Discover Financial Services’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 31.93%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CFO John Greene sold 35,191 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.51, for a total value of $3,748,193.41. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 18,592 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,980,233.92. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.69% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Discover Financial Services

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Ballentine Partners LLC grew its holdings in Discover Financial Services by 3.1% in the 1st quarter. Ballentine Partners LLC now owns 2,888 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $379,000 after buying an additional 86 shares in the last quarter. Penserra Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Discover Financial Services by 7.2% in the fourth quarter. Penserra Capital Management LLC now owns 1,451 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $141,000 after purchasing an additional 97 shares during the period. Toroso Investments LLC lifted its position in Discover Financial Services by 3.1% in the first quarter. Toroso Investments LLC now owns 3,299 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $364,000 after purchasing an additional 98 shares during the period. Wealthspire Advisors LLC lifted its position in Discover Financial Services by 3.3% in the fourth quarter. Wealthspire Advisors LLC now owns 3,121 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $351,000 after purchasing an additional 99 shares during the period. Finally, Midwest Professional Planners LTD. lifted its position in Discover Financial Services by 3.4% in the fourth quarter. Midwest Professional Planners LTD. now owns 3,086 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $347,000 after purchasing an additional 102 shares during the period. 86.94% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Discover Financial Services Company Profile

Discover Financial Services, through its subsidiaries, provides digital banking products and services, and payment services in the United States. It operates in two segments, Digital Banking and Payment Services. The Digital Banking segment offers Discover-branded credit cards to individuals; private student loans, personal loans, home loans, and other consumer lending; and direct-to-consumer deposit products comprising savings accounts, certificates of deposit, money market accounts, IRA certificates of deposit, IRA savings accounts and checking accounts, and sweep accounts.