Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) Shares Sold by Heritage Investors Management Corp

Heritage Investors Management Corp lowered its stake in Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) by 8.8% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 22,017 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 2,125 shares during the quarter. Heritage Investors Management Corp’s holdings in Discover Financial Services were worth $3,814,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. National Pension Service lifted its position 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 buying 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% during the third 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 in the last quarter. Brookstone Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Discover Financial Services during the fourth quarter worth about $282,000. Meyer Handelman Co. acquired a new stake in shares of Discover Financial Services during the fourth quarter worth about $239,000. Finally, Janney Montgomery Scott LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Discover Financial Services during the third quarter worth about $2,415,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.94% of the company’s stock.

Discover Financial Services Stock Performance

Shares of DFS opened at $191.20 on Friday. 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 market cap of $48.11 billion, a PE ratio of 11.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 1.46. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $188.37 and its 200-day simple moving average is $164.75. Discover Financial Services has a 12-month low of $118.74 and a 12-month high of $205.76.

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 analysts’ consensus estimates 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, equities analysts predict that Discover Financial Services will post 13.88 EPS for the current year.

Discover Financial Services Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 6th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 23rd will be given a dividend of $0.70 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 23rd. This represents a $2.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.46%. Discover Financial Services’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 17.54%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their price target 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. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on shares of Discover Financial Services from $146.00 to $169.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Barclays increased their price target on shares of Discover Financial Services from $186.00 to $209.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. UBS Group raised shares of Discover Financial Services from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their price target for the stock from $150.00 to $239.00 in a research report on Monday, January 13th. 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 research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price 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.