Aptus Capital Advisors LLC Increases Stock Holdings in Lloyds Banking Group plc (NYSE:LYG)

Aptus Capital Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Lloyds Banking Group plc (NYSE:LYG) by 38.7% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 18,984 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after buying an additional 5,294 shares during the quarter. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC’s holdings in Lloyds Banking Group were worth $59,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. boosted its position in Lloyds Banking Group by 0.4% during the third quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. now owns 4,894,063 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $15,269,000 after purchasing an additional 18,494 shares in the last quarter. Axxcess Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Lloyds Banking Group by 56.6% in the third quarter. Axxcess Wealth Management LLC now owns 61,460 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $192,000 after purchasing an additional 22,209 shares during the last quarter. Legacy Capital Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Lloyds Banking Group in the third quarter valued at approximately $69,000. Atria Investments Inc increased its holdings in shares of Lloyds Banking Group by 19.1% in the third quarter. Atria Investments Inc now owns 306,886 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $957,000 after purchasing an additional 49,237 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Portside Wealth Group LLC increased its stake in Lloyds Banking Group by 115.2% during the third quarter. Portside Wealth Group LLC now owns 88,864 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $277,000 after acquiring an additional 47,573 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 2.15% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on the company. Kepler Capital Markets initiated coverage on Lloyds Banking Group in a research note on Thursday, September 5th. They set a “hold” rating for the company. Citigroup lowered Lloyds Banking Group from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, August 5th. UBS Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Lloyds Banking Group in a report on Tuesday, July 30th. The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on Lloyds Banking Group in a report on Friday, October 4th. They set a “neutral” rating for the company. Finally, Morgan Stanley downgraded Lloyds Banking Group from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Lloyds Banking Group presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $2.75.

Lloyds Banking Group Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:LYG opened at $2.83 on Monday. Lloyds Banking Group plc has a 12 month low of $2.00 and a 12 month high of $3.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 1.45 and a quick ratio of 1.48. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $3.00 and its 200-day simple moving average is $2.92. The firm has a market capitalization of $43.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.26 and a beta of 1.35.

About Lloyds Banking Group

Lloyds Banking Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides a range of banking and financial services in the United Kingdom and internationally. It operates in three segments: Retail; Commercial Banking; and Insurance, Pensions and Investments. The Retail segment offers a range of financial service products, including current accounts, savings, mortgages, motor finance, unsecured loans, leasing solutions, and credit cards to personal customers.