HealthStream (NASDAQ:HSTM) Hits New 12-Month High – Should You Buy?

HealthStream, Inc. (NASDAQ:HSTM) shares hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Monday. The company traded as high as $33.21 and last traded at $33.1880, with a volume of 217,975 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $33.13.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have recently commented on HSTM shares. Canaccord Genuity Group upped their price target on shares of HealthStream from $24.00 to $27.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 21st. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of HealthStream from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Thursday, October 8th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of HealthStream from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Sunday, August 30th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, HealthStream has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $27.00.

HealthStream Stock Up 0.9%

The company has a market cap of $986.17 million, a P/E ratio of 46.88, a PEG ratio of 3.87 and a beta of 0.42. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $29.55 and a 200-day moving average of $26.39.

HealthStream (NASDAQ:HSTM) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 3rd. The technology company reported $0.23 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.17 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $83.73 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $80.82 million. HealthStream had a return on equity of 6.81% and a net margin of 6.60%. On average, research analysts predict that HealthStream, Inc. will post 0.72 EPS for the current fiscal year.

HealthStream Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 28th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 17th were paid a dividend of $0.0350 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 17th. This represents a $0.14 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.4%. HealthStream’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 19.44%.

Insider Activity at HealthStream

In related news, CEO Robert Frist, Jr. sold 144,068 shares of HealthStream stock in a transaction dated Monday, September 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $29.50, for a total value of $4,250,006.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 3,907,038 shares in the company, valued at $115,257,621. The trade was a 3.56% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 20.40% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of HealthStream

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Essential Partners LLC bought a new stake in HealthStream during the 1st quarter valued at $25,000. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC purchased a new position in shares of HealthStream in the 2nd quarter valued at $27,000. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB raised its position in shares of HealthStream by 76.4% in the 2nd quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 1,025 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 444 shares in the last quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of HealthStream in the 2nd quarter worth $31,000. Finally, Meeder Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of HealthStream in the 1st quarter worth $81,000. 69.58% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

HealthStream Company Profile

HealthStream, Inc provides workforce solutions for the healthcare industry. The company develops software and services designed to help healthcare organizations manage employee learning, performance, credentialing, and other workforce-related processes.

Its offerings include online learning and education management, workforce development tools, competency and performance management, and credentialing solutions. HealthStream also provides content and administrative services intended to support regulatory compliance, professional development, and operational efficiency for healthcare employers.

Based in Nashville, Tennessee, HealthStream primarily serves healthcare organizations in the United States, including hospitals, health systems, medical practices, and other healthcare providers.