Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) Shares Sold by Schroder Investment Management Group

Schroder Investment Management Group lessened its holdings in Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) by 14.2% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 255,162 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 42,310 shares during the quarter. Schroder Investment Management Group owned approximately 0.10% of Discover Financial Services worth $44,000,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of DFS. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of Discover Financial Services in the 3rd quarter valued at about $30,000. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. acquired a new position in Discover Financial Services in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Flagship Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Discover Financial Services in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Grove Bank & Trust raised its holdings in Discover Financial Services by 78.1% during the fourth quarter. Grove Bank & Trust now owns 203 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 89 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bfsg LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Discover Financial Services during the 4th quarter worth approximately $35,000. 86.94% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts recently commented on the stock. Barclays increased their target price on shares of Discover Financial Services from $186.00 to $209.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on Discover Financial Services from $193.00 to $210.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. StockNews.com cut Discover Financial Services from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Truist Financial decreased their target price on Discover Financial Services from $262.00 to $219.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, March 21st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on Discover Financial Services from $146.00 to $169.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $192.40.

Discover Financial Services Trading Down 0.2 %

NYSE:DFS opened at $170.32 on Wednesday. Discover Financial Services has a 12-month low of $119.31 and a 12-month high of $205.76. 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 stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $183.68 and its 200-day simple moving average is $170.89. The firm has a market cap of $42.85 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.67, a PEG ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 1.45.

Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 22nd. The financial services provider reported $5.11 earnings per share for the quarter, beating 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%. Equities analysts anticipate that Discover Financial Services will post 13.88 EPS for the current year.

Discover Financial Services Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 6th. Investors of record on Friday, May 23rd will be issued a dividend of $0.70 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 23rd. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.64%. Discover Financial Services’s dividend payout ratio is currently 17.54%.

Discover Financial Services Company 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.