Schechter Investment Advisors LLC Reduces Stock Holdings in Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS)

Schechter Investment Advisors LLC decreased its position in Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) by 5.1% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 6,472 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 350 shares during the period. Schechter Investment Advisors LLC’s holdings in Discover Financial Services were worth $1,121,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Meridian Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Discover Financial Services during the 4th quarter valued at $264,000. Fidelis Capital Partners LLC raised its holdings in Discover Financial Services by 8.9% during the 4th quarter. Fidelis Capital Partners LLC now owns 10,018 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $1,735,000 after acquiring an additional 820 shares during the period. Silphium Asset Management Ltd bought a new stake in Discover Financial Services during the 4th quarter valued at $6,878,000. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. bought a new stake in Discover Financial Services during the 4th quarter valued at $33,000. Finally, Jones Financial Companies Lllp raised its holdings in Discover Financial Services by 67.8% during the 4th quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 7,049 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $1,221,000 after acquiring an additional 2,849 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.94% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. UBS Group raised shares of Discover Financial Services from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their target price for the company from $150.00 to $239.00 in a report on Monday, January 13th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their target price on shares of Discover Financial Services from $170.00 to $232.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, December 9th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their target price on shares of Discover Financial Services from $193.00 to $210.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Discover Financial Services from $146.00 to $169.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, StockNews.com cut shares of Discover Financial Services from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $191.91.

Discover Financial Services Stock Down 2.5 %

Shares of NYSE:DFS opened at $190.40 on Tuesday. Discover Financial Services has a 52-week low of $118.74 and a 52-week high of $205.76. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $189.13 and a 200 day moving average of $166.20. The firm has a market capitalization of $47.91 billion, a PE ratio of 11.93, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 1.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a current ratio of 1.09.

Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, January 22nd. The financial services provider reported $5.11 earnings per share (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%. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Discover Financial Services will post 13.88 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Discover Financial Services Announces Dividend

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

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.