Barclays (NYSE:BCS) Sets New 52-Week High – Still a Buy?

Shares of Barclays PLC (NYSE:BCS) hit a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $15.43 and last traded at $15.36, with a volume of 441851 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $15.23.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, StockNews.com cut Barclays from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 16th.

Barclays Stock Down 5.4 %

The company has a quick ratio of 1.35, a current ratio of 1.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.67. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $13.88 and a 200 day simple moving average of $12.85. The stock has a market cap of $52.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.91, a PEG ratio of 0.46 and a beta of 1.41.

Barclays (NYSE:BCS) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 13th. The financial services provider reported $0.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.19 by $0.15. Barclays had a net margin of 17.83% and a return on equity of 6.30%. As a group, analysts expect that Barclays PLC will post 1.53 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Barclays

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of BCS. Brooklyn Investment Group purchased a new position in Barclays during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Activest Wealth Management purchased a new position in Barclays in the 4th quarter worth approximately $33,000. Sierra Ocean LLC bought a new stake in Barclays during the 4th quarter valued at $38,000. TD Private Client Wealth LLC raised its stake in shares of Barclays by 135.5% during the fourth quarter. TD Private Client Wealth LLC now owns 2,916 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $39,000 after acquiring an additional 1,678 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Versant Capital Management Inc purchased a new stake in Barclays in the 4th quarter worth approximately $44,000. 3.39% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Barclays Company Profile

Barclays PLC provides various financial services in the United Kingdom, Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The company operates through Barclays UK and Barclays International division segments. It offers financial services, such as retail banking, credit cards, wholesale banking, investment banking, wealth management, and investment management services.