National Bankshares Issues Pessimistic Forecast for Brookfield Business Partners (NYSE:BBU) Stock Price

Brookfield Business Partners (NYSE:BBU) had its price target reduced by National Bankshares from $36.00 to $32.00 in a research report released on Wednesday,BayStreet.CA reports. They currently have an outperform rating on the business services provider’s stock.

A number of other equities analysts have also weighed in on the company. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their target price on Brookfield Business Partners from $32.00 to $30.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on shares of Brookfield Business Partners from $32.00 to $34.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 10th. Scotiabank lowered their target price on shares of Brookfield Business Partners from $33.00 to $29.00 and set a “sector outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 24th. Finally, CIBC cut their price target on Brookfield Business Partners from $34.00 to $30.00 and set an “outperformer” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 28th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Brookfield Business Partners currently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $31.00.

Brookfield Business Partners Trading Up 2.1 %

NYSE:BBU opened at $22.35 on Wednesday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $22.35 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $23.10. Brookfield Business Partners has a 12 month low of $16.85 and a 12 month high of $26.75. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -45.61 and a beta of 1.34. The company has a current ratio of 0.50, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.12.

Brookfield Business Partners (NYSE:BBU) last issued its earnings results on Friday, January 31st. The business services provider reported $1.47 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.14 by $1.33. Brookfield Business Partners had a return on equity of 5.09% and a net margin of 2.20%. Analysts expect that Brookfield Business Partners will post 5.25 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Brookfield Business Partners

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in BBU. Principal Financial Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Brookfield Business Partners by 29.9% during the third quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 117,189 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $2,731,000 after acquiring an additional 26,947 shares during the last quarter. Caldwell Investment Management Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of Brookfield Business Partners during the 4th quarter valued at $1,731,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its holdings in shares of Brookfield Business Partners by 8.9% in the 4th quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 17,724 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $415,000 after buying an additional 1,448 shares during the last quarter. BBR Partners LLC bought a new position in Brookfield Business Partners during the fourth quarter valued at about $241,000. Finally, PCJ Investment Counsel Ltd. increased its holdings in Brookfield Business Partners by 6.6% during the fourth quarter. PCJ Investment Counsel Ltd. now owns 1,618,655 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $38,041,000 after buying an additional 99,763 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 85.04% of the company’s stock.

About Brookfield Business Partners

Brookfield Business Partners L.P. is a private equity firm specializing in acquisition. The firm typically invests in business services, infrastructure services, construction, energy, and industrials sector. It prefers to take majority stake in companies. The firm seeks returns of at least 15% on its investments.