Maximus (NYSE:MMS) Reaches New 52-Week High – Still a Buy?

Shares of Maximus, Inc. (NYSE:MMS) hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $97.41 and last traded at $96.8170, with a volume of 19430 shares. The stock had previously closed at $96.59.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MMS has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Zacks Research raised Maximus from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 30th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Maximus in a report on Monday, December 29th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and one has assigned a Buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Strong Buy”.

Maximus Price Performance

The company has a 50-day moving average of $86.26 and a 200 day moving average of $83.80. The company has a quick ratio of 1.64, a current ratio of 1.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.37 billion, a PE ratio of 17.73 and a beta of 0.56.

Maximus (NYSE:MMS) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, November 20th. The health services provider reported $1.62 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.63 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $1.32 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.34 billion. Maximus had a return on equity of 25.23% and a net margin of 5.87%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.46 EPS. Maximus has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.950-8.250 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Maximus, Inc. will post 6.15 EPS for the current year.

Maximus Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 2nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be issued a $0.33 dividend. This represents a $1.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 13th. This is a positive change from Maximus’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.30. Maximus’s payout ratio is currently 21.58%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Maximus

In other news, insider Michelle F. Link sold 4,039 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $86.84, for a total transaction of $350,746.76. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 19,542 shares in the company, valued at $1,697,027.28. The trade was a 17.13% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 1.60% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Maximus

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Richardson Financial Services Inc. increased its position in shares of Maximus by 123.1% during the 3rd quarter. Richardson Financial Services Inc. now owns 348 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 192 shares during the last quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC purchased a new position in Maximus during the third quarter worth about $32,000. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board acquired a new stake in shares of Maximus during the second quarter valued at about $35,000. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Maximus in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $38,000. Finally, Danske Bank A S acquired a new position in shares of Maximus in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $55,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 97.21% of the company’s stock.

Maximus Company Profile

Maximus, Inc (NYSE: MMS) is a global provider of government services focused on delivering health and human services programs. The company partners with federal, state, and local agencies to administer and manage programs that support individuals and families across various stages of life. Key service areas include eligibility determination and enrollment services for Medicaid, Medicare, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and other public assistance programs, as well as call center operations, case management and program integrity solutions.