Avantax Advisory Services Inc. Has $2.91 Million Stake in Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS)

Avantax Advisory Services Inc. raised its position in shares of Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS) by 10.5% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 29,938 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 2,835 shares during the period. Avantax Advisory Services Inc.’s holdings in Novartis were worth $2,913,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Human Investing LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Novartis during the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA acquired a new stake in shares of Novartis during the fourth quarter worth approximately $27,000. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Novartis during the third quarter worth approximately $28,000. Kestra Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Novartis during the fourth quarter worth approximately $47,000. Finally, Brooklyn Investment Group acquired a new stake in shares of Novartis during the fourth quarter worth approximately $55,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 13.12% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts recently weighed in on NVS shares. UBS Group reissued a “neutral” rating on shares of Novartis in a report on Thursday, February 13th. Erste Group Bank reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Novartis in a report on Tuesday, November 19th. Morgan Stanley started coverage on shares of Novartis in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. They issued an “underweight” rating for the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised shares of Novartis from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 4th. Finally, Barclays reissued an “underweight” rating on shares of Novartis in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, one has given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $123.38.

Novartis Price Performance

Shares of NVS stock opened at $109.15 on Friday. Novartis AG has a 52-week low of $92.35 and a 52-week high of $120.92. The stock has a market cap of $223.10 billion, a PE ratio of 18.56, a PEG ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 0.53. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a quick ratio of 0.84 and a current ratio of 1.04. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $105.36 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $107.68.

Novartis (NYSE:NVS) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 31st. The company reported $1.98 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.80 by $0.18. Novartis had a net margin of 23.56% and a return on equity of 37.24%. As a group, analysts forecast that Novartis AG will post 8.45 EPS for the current year.

Novartis Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 12th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 12th were given a dividend of $3.8695 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, March 12th. Novartis’s dividend payout ratio is 42.69%.

Novartis Company Profile

Novartis AG engages in the research, development, manufacture, and marketing of healthcare products in Switzerland and internationally. The company offers prescription medicines for patients and physicians. It focuses on therapeutic areas, such as cardiovascular, renal and metabolic, immunology, neuroscience, and oncology, as well as ophthalmology and hematology.