Versor Investments LP Sells 22,794 Shares of Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS)

Versor Investments LP trimmed its holdings in shares of Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) by 30.0% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 53,169 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 22,794 shares during the quarter. Discover Financial Services accounts for about 1.6% of Versor Investments LP’s portfolio, making the stock its 3rd largest position. Versor Investments LP’s holdings in Discover Financial Services were worth $9,210,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the business. National Pension Service boosted its holdings in Discover Financial Services by 14.8% in the third quarter. National Pension Service now owns 439,756 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $61,693,000 after acquiring an additional 56,814 shares during the last quarter. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. lifted its position in shares of Discover Financial Services by 10.5% in the 3rd quarter. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 115,487 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $16,202,000 after purchasing an additional 10,946 shares during the period. Brookstone Capital Management bought a new stake in shares of Discover Financial Services in the 4th quarter valued at $282,000. Meyer Handelman Co. acquired a new stake in shares of Discover Financial Services during the fourth quarter worth $239,000. Finally, Janney Montgomery Scott LLC bought a new position in Discover Financial Services during the third quarter worth $2,415,000. Institutional investors own 86.94% of the company’s stock.

Discover Financial Services Stock Performance

Shares of DFS stock opened at $190.36 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $187.93 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $164.56. Discover Financial Services has a 12 month low of $118.74 and a 12 month high of $205.76. The firm has a market capitalization of $47.90 billion, a PE ratio of 11.93, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 1.46.

Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, January 22nd. The financial services provider reported $5.11 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.13 by $1.98. Discover Financial Services had a net margin of 17.29% and a return on equity of 26.18%. Analysts forecast that Discover Financial Services will post 13.88 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Discover Financial Services Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 6th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 23rd will be paid a $0.70 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 23rd. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.47%. Discover Financial Services’s payout ratio is 17.54%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have commented on DFS shares. Barclays upped their price target on shares of Discover Financial Services from $186.00 to $209.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Evercore ISI boosted their price objective on Discover Financial Services from $156.00 to $163.00 and gave the company an “in-line” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. UBS Group raised Discover Financial Services from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their target price for the stock from $150.00 to $239.00 in a research note on Monday, January 13th. Truist Financial boosted their price target on Discover Financial Services from $233.00 to $262.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, January 27th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their price objective on shares of Discover Financial Services from $170.00 to $232.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, December 9th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Discover Financial Services currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $191.91.

Discover Financial Services Profile

Discover Financial Services, through its subsidiaries, provides digital banking products and services, and payment services in the United States. It operates in two segments, Digital Banking and Payment Services. The Digital Banking segment offers Discover-branded credit cards to individuals; personal loans, home loans, and other consumer lending; and direct-to-consumer deposit products comprising savings accounts, certificates of deposit, money market accounts, IRA certificates of deposit, IRA savings accounts and checking accounts, and sweep accounts.