Hsbc Holdings PLC Increases Stake in AngloGold Ashanti PLC $AU

Hsbc Holdings PLC raised its position in shares of AngloGold Ashanti PLC (NYSE:AU) by 70.4% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 20,194 shares of the mining company’s stock after purchasing an additional 8,346 shares during the quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC’s holdings in AngloGold Ashanti were worth $1,968,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Ascentis Independent Advisors bought a new position in shares of AngloGold Ashanti in the first quarter worth approximately $26,000. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT bought a new stake in shares of AngloGold Ashanti during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Garton & Associates Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of AngloGold Ashanti during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of AngloGold Ashanti during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Finally, Global Retirement Partners LLC raised its holdings in AngloGold Ashanti by 454.1% in the 4th quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 471 shares of the mining company’s stock worth $40,000 after acquiring an additional 386 shares during the last quarter. 36.09% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

AngloGold Ashanti Trading Up 0.0%

Shares of AU stock opened at $79.70 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 2.71, a quick ratio of 2.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. AngloGold Ashanti PLC has a 12-month low of $45.36 and a 12-month high of $129.14. The stock has a market capitalization of $40.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.69 and a beta of 0.65. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $85.50 and its 200 day moving average is $96.63.

AngloGold Ashanti (NYSE:AU) last announced its earnings results on Friday, May 8th. The mining company reported $2.52 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.27 by $0.25. The business had revenue of $3.24 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.26 billion. AngloGold Ashanti had a net margin of 31.11% and a return on equity of 36.41%. Research analysts expect that AngloGold Ashanti PLC will post 8.23 earnings per share for the current year.

AngloGold Ashanti Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 12th. Investors of record on Friday, May 29th were issued a $1.16 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 29th. This is an increase from AngloGold Ashanti’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.17. This represents a $4.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.8%. AngloGold Ashanti’s dividend payout ratio is presently 68.04%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms recently issued reports on AU. Zacks Research cut AngloGold Ashanti from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 15th. Citigroup reduced their target price on AngloGold Ashanti from $130.00 to $125.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, July 15th. Scotiabank decreased their price target on AngloGold Ashanti from $134.00 to $128.00 and set a “sector outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on AngloGold Ashanti from $155.00 to $134.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, July 16th. Finally, Roth Capital dropped their price objective on AngloGold Ashanti from $121.00 to $110.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, June 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have given a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $110.50.

AngloGold Ashanti Profile

AngloGold Ashanti is a global gold mining company engaged in the exploration, development, production, processing and sale of gold. Headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, the company’s core activities span the full mining value chain from greenfield exploration and mine development through to ore processing and rehabilitation. Gold is the primary commodity produced, with individual operations sometimes yielding other by‑products depending on local geology and processing methods.

The company was formed in 2004 through the merger of AngloGold and Ashanti Goldfields, creating a diversified international gold producer.