BTIG Research Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for J.Jill (NYSE:JILL) Stock

J.Jill (NYSE:JILL) had its price target lifted by stock analysts at BTIG Research from $18.00 to $25.00 in a research report issued on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a “buy” rating on the specialty retailer’s stock. BTIG Research’s target price indicates a potential upside of 16.80% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other research analysts have also weighed in on the company. Zacks Research upgraded J.Jill from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, June 5th. William Blair cut J.Jill from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a report on Thursday, June 11th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of J.Jill from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 18th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $16.00 price objective on shares of J.Jill in a report on Wednesday, June 10th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group increased their target price on shares of J.Jill from $14.00 to $18.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a report on Thursday, September 3rd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $19.25.

J.Jill Stock Performance

Shares of J.Jill stock traded up $1.56 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $21.40. 570,723 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 77,084. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $18.14 and a 200-day simple moving average of $15.44. The stock has a market capitalization of $319.99 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.67 and a beta of 0.87. J.Jill has a 52-week low of $10.40 and a 52-week high of $23.48. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a current ratio of 1.13.

J.Jill (NYSE:JILL) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, September 9th. The specialty retailer reported $1.24 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.57 by $0.67. The firm had revenue of $154.83 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $151.26 million. J.Jill had a net margin of 3.56% and a return on equity of 24.44%. On average, research analysts forecast that J.Jill will post 2.04 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other J.Jill news, EVP Mark W. Webb sold 2,074 shares of J.Jill stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $20.33, for a total transaction of $42,164.42. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 174,679 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,551,224.07. The trade was a 1.17% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 11,158 shares of company stock valued at $225,984. 4.40% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On J.Jill

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd boosted its stake in J.Jill by 40.0% during the 1st quarter. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd now owns 11,210 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $219,000 after purchasing an additional 3,205 shares during the period. Rhumbline Advisers boosted its stake in shares of J.Jill by 11.7% during the first quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 7,908 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $154,000 after buying an additional 829 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of J.Jill by 11.9% during the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 175,286 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $2,567,000 after buying an additional 18,576 shares during the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. increased its position in J.Jill by 39.7% in the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 19,010 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $278,000 after acquiring an additional 5,406 shares during the period. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP lifted its position in J.Jill by 3.7% during the 2nd quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 23,682 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $347,000 after acquiring an additional 840 shares during the period. 40.71% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About J.Jill

J.Jill is a women’s apparel retailer specializing in modern, versatile clothing and accessories. The company designs and markets a range of products that emphasize comfort and style, including knitwear, woven tops, pants, dresses, outerwear, jewelry, and footwear. Through its in-house design team, J.Jill focuses on creating seasonal collections that appeal to women seeking effortless, mix-and-match wardrobes.

Products are sold through a multi-channel distribution network comprising company-operated boutiques, e-commerce platforms, and catalog sales.