Maximus (NYSE:MMS) Shares Gap Down – What’s Next?

Shares of Maximus, Inc. (NYSE:MMS) gapped down before the market opened on Monday. The stock had previously closed at $69.22, but opened at $65.64. Maximus shares last traded at $65.5410, with a volume of 14,103 shares changing hands.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have recently commented on MMS. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Maximus in a report on Monday, August 17th. Zacks Research upgraded Maximus from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 1st. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut Maximus from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, August 8th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold”.

Maximus Trading Up 0.9%

The firm’s 50 day moving average is $59.04 and its 200 day moving average is $64.06. The company has a market cap of $3.47 billion, a PE ratio of 9.79 and a beta of 0.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.90, a current ratio of 2.42 and a quick ratio of 2.42.

Maximus Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 13th will be paid a $0.33 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, November 13th. This represents a $1.32 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.0%. Maximus’s dividend payout ratio is currently 19.50%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, insider Michelle Link sold 3,208 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, October 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $54.23, for a total transaction of $173,969.84. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 13,881 shares in the company, valued at $752,766.63. The trade was a 18.77% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 1.80% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Maximus

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. BlackRock Inc. bought a new position in Maximus in the 2nd quarter worth about $400,186,000. Reinhart Partners LLC. boosted its position in shares of Maximus by 131.8% during the 2nd quarter. Reinhart Partners LLC. now owns 1,982,415 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $106,575,000 after acquiring an additional 1,127,346 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE bought a new stake in shares of Maximus during the 2nd quarter valued at about $31,487,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new stake in shares of Maximus during the 2nd quarter valued at about $26,239,000. Finally, Walleye Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Maximus during the second quarter worth about $20,645,000. Institutional investors own 97.21% of the company’s stock.

About Maximus

Maximus, Inc. provides technology-enabled services to government agencies, helping them administer public programs and deliver services to residents. Its work includes managing contact centers, processing applications and eligibility determinations, conducting health assessments, and supporting appeals and other case-management functions. The company serves clients in the United States and internationally, including government agencies in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. Its services span health and human services programs as well as federal government operations, with technology and digital services supporting its program work.