AMG National Trust Bank Reduces Position in Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (NYSE:JEF)

AMG National Trust Bank lessened its holdings in shares of Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (NYSE:JEF) by 10.0% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 18,649 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 2,075 shares during the quarter. AMG National Trust Bank’s holdings in Jefferies Financial Group were worth $999,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. JCIC Asset Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Jefferies Financial Group by 193.8% during the 1st quarter. JCIC Asset Management Inc. now owns 705 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $38,000 after buying an additional 465 shares in the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its stake in shares of Jefferies Financial Group by 123.9% during the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,151 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $62,000 after buying an additional 637 shares in the last quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB lifted its stake in shares of Jefferies Financial Group by 105.5% during the 1st quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 1,525 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $82,000 after buying an additional 783 shares in the last quarter. Gordian Capital Singapore Pte Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Jefferies Financial Group during the 4th quarter valued at $141,000. Finally, Sierra Ocean LLC lifted its stake in shares of Jefferies Financial Group by 824.0% during the 1st quarter. Sierra Ocean LLC now owns 1,848 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $99,000 after buying an additional 1,648 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 60.88% of the company’s stock.

Jefferies Financial Group Stock Down 0.1%

Shares of JEF stock opened at $56.27 on Monday. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $53.09 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $58.06. The company has a quick ratio of 1.05, a current ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.68. The stock has a market cap of $11.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.23 and a beta of 1.46. Jefferies Financial Group Inc. has a 52 week low of $39.28 and a 52 week high of $82.68.

Jefferies Financial Group (NYSE:JEF) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, June 25th. The financial services provider reported $0.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.44 by ($0.04). The business had revenue of $1.63 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.64 billion. Jefferies Financial Group had a net margin of 7.70% and a return on equity of 6.59%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 1.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.64 earnings per share. Analysts predict that Jefferies Financial Group Inc. will post 4.41 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Jefferies Financial Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 29th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 18th will be given a dividend of $0.40 per share. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.84%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 18th. Jefferies Financial Group’s dividend payout ratio is 60.38%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have commented on the stock. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Jefferies Financial Group from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 13th. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on shares of Jefferies Financial Group from $55.00 to $54.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, June 26th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on shares of Jefferies Financial Group from $55.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $66.00.

Jefferies Financial Group Company Profile

Jefferies Financial Group Inc operates as an investment banking and capital markets firm in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific. The company operates in two segments, Investment Banking and Capital Markets, and Asset Management. It provides investment banking, advisory services with respect to mergers or acquisitions, debt financing, restructurings or recapitalizations, and private capital advisory transactions; underwriting and placement services related to corporate debt, municipal bonds, mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities, equity and equity-linked securities, and loan syndication services; and corporate lending services.