Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) Shares Purchased by Bryn Mawr Capital Management LLC

Bryn Mawr Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) by 1,933.8% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 142,366 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 135,366 shares during the period. Discover Financial Services accounts for about 0.9% of Bryn Mawr Capital Management LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 24th biggest holding. Bryn Mawr Capital Management LLC owned approximately 0.06% of Discover Financial Services worth $24,662,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. National Pension Service increased its holdings in shares of Discover Financial Services by 14.8% during the 3rd quarter. National Pension Service now owns 439,756 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $61,693,000 after buying an additional 56,814 shares during the last quarter. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. grew its position in Discover Financial Services by 10.5% in the third quarter. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 115,487 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $16,202,000 after acquiring an additional 10,946 shares during the period. Brookstone Capital Management acquired a new stake in Discover Financial Services during the fourth quarter worth $282,000. Meyer Handelman Co. purchased a new stake in Discover Financial Services in the fourth quarter valued at $239,000. Finally, Janney Montgomery Scott LLC acquired a new position in shares of Discover Financial Services in the 3rd quarter valued at $2,415,000. 86.94% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Discover Financial Services Stock Up 3.6 %

Discover Financial Services stock opened at $203.34 on Thursday. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $186.02 and its two-hundred day moving average is $162.17. The stock has a market cap of $51.10 billion, a PE ratio of 12.74, a P/E/G ratio of 0.60 and a beta of 1.46. Discover Financial Services has a 1-year low of $118.74 and a 1-year high of $205.76. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09, a current ratio of 1.09 and a quick ratio of 1.03.

Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, January 22nd. The financial services provider reported $5.11 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.13 by $1.98. Discover Financial Services had a return on equity of 26.18% and a net margin of 17.29%. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Discover Financial Services will post 13.84 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Discover Financial Services Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 6th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 23rd will be issued a $0.70 dividend. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.38%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 23rd. Discover Financial Services’s payout ratio is 17.54%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have weighed in on DFS shares. Evercore ISI increased their target price on shares of Discover Financial Services from $156.00 to $163.00 and gave the stock an “in-line” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on Discover Financial Services from $146.00 to $169.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of Discover Financial Services from $185.00 to $214.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Discover Financial Services from $193.00 to $210.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, UBS Group raised shares of Discover Financial Services from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their target price for the stock from $150.00 to $239.00 in a research note on Monday, January 13th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $186.46.

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.