Assured Guaranty (NYSE:AGO) Earns Sell Rating from Analysts at StockNews.com

StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Assured Guaranty (NYSE:AGO – Get Rating) in a research report sent to investors on Thursday morning. The firm issued a sell rating on the financial services provider’s stock.

A number of other analysts also recently weighed in on the stock. Compass Point began coverage on shares of Assured Guaranty in a research report on Monday, November 28th. They issued a buy rating and a $84.00 price target on the stock. Roth Capital reiterated a buy rating on shares of Assured Guaranty in a research report on Wednesday, March 1st. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $76.33.

Assured Guaranty Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:AGO opened at $47.42 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $2.80 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.44 and a beta of 1.12. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $59.94 and its 200 day simple moving average is $58.36. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 0.70 and a quick ratio of 0.70. Assured Guaranty has a fifty-two week low of $45.91 and a fifty-two week high of $67.13.

Assured Guaranty Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 22nd. Investors of record on Wednesday, March 8th will be paid a dividend of $0.28 per share. This represents a $1.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.36%. This is a boost from Assured Guaranty’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.25. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 7th. Assured Guaranty’s dividend payout ratio is presently 57.73%.

Institutional Trading of Assured Guaranty

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Lazard Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in Assured Guaranty during the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Quantbot Technologies LP bought a new position in shares of Assured Guaranty during the 1st quarter worth approximately $30,000. TCI Wealth Advisors Inc. grew its stake in shares of Assured Guaranty by 59.8% during the 3rd quarter. TCI Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 532 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 199 shares in the last quarter. National Bank of Canada FI bought a new position in shares of Assured Guaranty during the 4th quarter worth approximately $33,000. Finally, Ronald Blue Trust Inc. grew its stake in shares of Assured Guaranty by 46.7% during the 4th quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. now owns 540 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 172 shares in the last quarter. 90.51% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Assured Guaranty

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Assured Guaranty Ltd. is a holding company, which engages in the provision of credit protection products to the U.S. and international public finance, and structured finance markets through its subsidiaries. It operates through the following segments: Insurance and Asset Management. The Insurance segment includes the company’s domestic and foreign insurance subsidiaries and their wholly-owned subsidiaries that provide credit protection products to the U.S.