Anchor Capital Advisors LLC Reduces Stake in Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR)

Anchor Capital Advisors LLC trimmed its position in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR) by 3.7% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 187,994 shares of the business services provider’s stock after selling 7,155 shares during the quarter. Broadridge Financial Solutions makes up 1.2% of Anchor Capital Advisors LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 26th biggest holding. Anchor Capital Advisors LLC owned 0.16% of Broadridge Financial Solutions worth $42,504,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of BR. B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. Holding AG purchased a new position in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $44,746,000. Benjamin Edwards Inc. grew its holdings in Broadridge Financial Solutions by 2,302.8% during the 3rd quarter. Benjamin Edwards Inc. now owns 147,004 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $31,618,000 after buying an additional 140,886 shares during the last quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC purchased a new position in Broadridge Financial Solutions during the fourth quarter worth $25,773,000. BNP Paribas Financial Markets raised its holdings in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions by 97.7% in the third quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 198,878 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $42,765,000 after acquiring an additional 98,275 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions by 113.8% in the third quarter. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC now owns 141,533 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $30,434,000 after acquiring an additional 75,349 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.03% of the company’s stock.

Broadridge Financial Solutions Stock Performance

NYSE:BR opened at $237.17 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $27.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.12 and a beta of 1.08. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $233.55 and its two-hundred day moving average is $223.96. Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $188.30 and a fifty-two week high of $244.47. The company has a quick ratio of 1.35, a current ratio of 1.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64.

Broadridge Financial Solutions (NYSE:BR) last issued its earnings results on Friday, January 31st. The business services provider reported $1.56 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.32 by $0.24. Broadridge Financial Solutions had a return on equity of 44.40% and a net margin of 11.36%. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.92 EPS. Analysts expect that Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. will post 8.53 EPS for the current year.

Broadridge Financial Solutions Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 3rd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 13th will be issued a dividend of $0.88 per share. This represents a $3.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.48%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 13th. Broadridge Financial Solutions’s payout ratio is currently 55.09%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, VP Laura Matlin sold 514 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $241.60, for a total value of $124,182.40. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 6,602 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,595,043.20. This represents a 7.22 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Brett Keller sold 5,442 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $240.40, for a total value of $1,308,256.80. Following the sale, the director now owns 15,536 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,734,854.40. The trade was a 25.94 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 21,666 shares of company stock valued at $5,050,766. 1.30% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts recently commented on BR shares. StockNews.com cut Broadridge Financial Solutions from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday. Wolfe Research reiterated a “peer perform” rating on shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions in a report on Thursday, December 12th. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions from $207.00 to $222.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions from $231.00 to $249.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, DA Davidson reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $215.00 price target on shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions in a research note on Tuesday, January 21st. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $239.17.

About Broadridge Financial Solutions

Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc provides investor communications and technology-driven solutions for the financial services industry. The company's Investor Communication Solutions segment processes and distributes proxy materials to investors in equity securities and mutual funds, as well as facilitates related vote processing services; and distributes regulatory reports, class action, and corporate action/reorganization event information, as well as tax reporting solutions.