Synchrony Financial $SYF Shares Sold by Candriam S.C.A.

Candriam S.C.A. lessened its holdings in Synchrony Financial (NYSE:SYF) by 51.2% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 247,927 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 259,763 shares during the quarter. Candriam S.C.A.’s holdings in Synchrony Financial were worth $17,660,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Pension & Wealth Management Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in Synchrony Financial in the third quarter worth $26,000. Compass Financial Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Synchrony Financial during the second quarter valued at about $29,000. Fiduciary Financial Advisors bought a new position in shares of Synchrony Financial during the second quarter valued at about $33,000. GK Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Synchrony Financial during the third quarter valued at about $31,000. Finally, Provenance Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Synchrony Financial in the third quarter worth about $32,000. 96.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Synchrony Financial Trading Up 0.1%

NYSE:SYF opened at $73.81 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of $22.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.71, a P/E/G ratio of 0.91 and a beta of 1.40. The company has a quick ratio of 1.23, a current ratio of 1.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15. The company has a fifty day moving average of $74.52 and a 200 day moving average of $73.56. Synchrony Financial has a 52 week low of $63.08 and a 52 week high of $88.77.

Synchrony Financial (NYSE:SYF) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 20th. The financial services provider reported $2.68 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.42 by $0.26. Synchrony Financial had a net margin of 14.59% and a return on equity of 22.26%. The business had revenue of $3.82 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.81 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.86 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Synchrony Financial will post 9.59 earnings per share for the current year.

Synchrony Financial Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 16th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 5th will be issued a dividend of $0.34 per share. This represents a $1.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.8%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 5th. Synchrony Financial’s dividend payout ratio is currently 14.20%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

SYF has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Synchrony Financial from $74.00 to $77.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 21st. Royal Bank Of Canada restated a “sector perform” rating on shares of Synchrony Financial in a report on Tuesday, October 20th. Wolfe Research raised their price target on Synchrony Financial from $85.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 25th. Robert W. Baird lifted their price target on Synchrony Financial from $86.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 22nd. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised Synchrony Financial from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Synchrony Financial presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $87.78.

Synchrony Financial Profile

Synchrony Financial is a consumer financial services company that provides credit products and related services through partnerships with retailers, healthcare providers and other businesses. Its offerings include private-label and co-branded credit cards, installment loans and promotional financing options.

The company also provides consumer banking products, including savings accounts and certificates of deposit. Its financing solutions serve customers in areas such as retail, home improvement, automotive, health and wellness, and digital commerce, primarily in the United States.

Synchrony was formerly part of General Electric’s financial services business and became an independent, publicly traded company in 2014.