Fidus Investment (NASDAQ:FDUS) Sees Unusually-High Trading Volume

Fidus Investment Co. (NASDAQ:FDUS) saw unusually-strong trading volume on Friday . Approximately 589,255 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 143% from the previous session’s volume of 242,737 shares.The stock last traded at $20.13 and had previously closed at $19.98.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised shares of Fidus Investment to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, August 5th.

Fidus Investment Price Performance

The stock has a market cap of $633.29 million, a P/E ratio of 6.87 and a beta of 1.40. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $19.56 and its 200-day moving average price is $19.68.

Fidus Investment (NASDAQ:FDUS) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 1st. The asset manager reported $0.57 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.57. The company had revenue of $35.66 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $34.88 million. Fidus Investment had a net margin of 67.43% and a return on equity of 12.63%. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.62 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts expect that Fidus Investment Co. will post 2.28 earnings per share for the current year.

Fidus Investment Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 26th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, September 19th will be paid a dividend of $0.57 per share. This is a positive change from Fidus Investment’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.43. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 11.36%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 19th. Fidus Investment’s payout ratio is currently 59.11%.

Institutional Trading of Fidus Investment

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in FDUS. Cetera Investment Advisers lifted its stake in Fidus Investment by 18.1% in the second quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 233,826 shares of the asset manager’s stock worth $4,555,000 after acquiring an additional 35,861 shares during the period. NewEdge Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Fidus Investment by 9.3% during the second quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 122,359 shares of the asset manager’s stock valued at $2,384,000 after buying an additional 10,364 shares during the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of Fidus Investment by 17.4% during the second quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 225,904 shares of the asset manager’s stock valued at $4,401,000 after buying an additional 33,474 shares during the last quarter. PFG Advisors lifted its position in shares of Fidus Investment by 3.9% during the second quarter. PFG Advisors now owns 178,404 shares of the asset manager’s stock valued at $3,475,000 after buying an additional 6,735 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Wetzel Investment Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Fidus Investment during the second quarter valued at about $32,000. 28.14% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Fidus Investment

Fidus Investment Corporation is a business development company. It specializing in leveraged buyouts, refinancings, change of ownership transactions, recapitalizations, strategic acquisitions, mezzanine, growth capital, business expansion, lower middle market investments, debt investments, subordinated and second lien loans, senior secured and unitranche debt, preferred equity, warrants, subordinated debt, senior subordinated notes, junior secured loans, and unitranche loans.