XPS Pensions Group (LON:XPS) Shares Up 11.1% – Time to Buy?

XPS Pensions Group plc (LON:XPS)’s stock price shot up 11.1% on Friday . The stock traded as high as GBX 397 ($5.00) and last traded at GBX 385.45 ($4.85). 3,388,795 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 125% from the average session volume of 1,504,858 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 347 ($4.37).

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on XPS. Shore Capital reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of XPS Pensions Group in a report on Thursday, November 21st. Canaccord Genuity Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a GBX 401 ($5.05) target price on shares of XPS Pensions Group in a report on Thursday, November 21st. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a “buy” rating and set a GBX 435 ($5.48) price objective on shares of XPS Pensions Group in a report on Friday, November 22nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, XPS Pensions Group currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of GBX 356.50 ($4.49).

XPS Pensions Group Stock Up 11.1 %

The company has a market cap of £795.95 million, a PE ratio of 3.10 and a beta of 0.57. The company has a quick ratio of 1.51, a current ratio of 1.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 17.52. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is GBX 343.54 and its 200-day simple moving average is GBX 331.24.

XPS Pensions Group (LON:XPS) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 21st. The company reported GBX 9.40 ($0.12) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. XPS Pensions Group had a net margin of 128.13% and a return on equity of 156.24%.

XPS Pensions Group Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently declared a dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 7th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, January 9th were issued a GBX 3.70 ($0.05) dividend. This represents a dividend yield of 1.03%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 9th. XPS Pensions Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 8.03%.

Insider Buying and Selling at XPS Pensions Group

In other news, insider Alan Bannatyne acquired 13,033 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 21st. The stock was acquired at an average price of GBX 349 ($4.39) per share, with a total value of £45,485.17 ($57,250.06). Insiders own 5.14% of the company’s stock.

XPS Pensions Group Company Profile

XPS Group is a leading UK consulting and administration business specialising in the pensions and insurance sectors. A FTSE 250 company, XPS combines expertise and insight with advanced technology and analytics to address the needs of over 1,400 pension schemes and their sponsoring employers on an ongoing and project basis.