Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI Has $2.66 Million Stake in Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE:FI)

Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI raised its position in Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE:FI) by 0.8% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 12,933 shares of the business services provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 109 shares during the quarter. Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI’s holdings in Fiserv were worth $2,657,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of FI. Marshall Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in Fiserv in the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Valley National Advisers Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Fiserv in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Compass Financial Services Inc bought a new position in shares of Fiserv during the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. Kennebec Savings Bank acquired a new position in shares of Fiserv during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $40,000. Finally, Roxbury Financial LLC bought a new stake in Fiserv in the 4th quarter valued at $50,000. Institutional investors own 90.98% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Fiserv news, COO Guy Chiarello sold 45,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $235.55, for a total transaction of $10,599,750.00. Following the sale, the chief operating officer now owns 227,711 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $53,637,326.05. The trade was a 16.50 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.75% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Fiserv Price Performance

Fiserv stock opened at $213.91 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.86, a quick ratio of 1.07 and a current ratio of 1.06. Fiserv, Inc. has a 52 week low of $145.98 and a 52 week high of $238.59. The stock has a market capitalization of $120.06 billion, a P/E ratio of 39.69, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.93. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $218.65 and a 200-day moving average of $204.00.

Fiserv (NYSE:FI) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The business services provider reported $2.51 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.48 by $0.03. Fiserv had a return on equity of 17.93% and a net margin of 15.31%. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Fiserv, Inc. will post 10.23 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Fiserv announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a share repurchase program on Thursday, February 20th that permits the company to buyback 60,000,000 outstanding shares. This buyback authorization permits the business services provider to reacquire shares of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are often a sign that the company’s leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have commented on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on shares of Fiserv from $208.00 to $231.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 3rd. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on shares of Fiserv from $255.00 to $270.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 6th. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of Fiserv from $230.00 to $233.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 14th. StockNews.com cut Fiserv from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 25th. Finally, Seaport Res Ptn upgraded Fiserv from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 14th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-one have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $239.83.

Fiserv Company Profile

Fiserv, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides payments and financial services technology services in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Latin America, the Asia-Pacific, and internationally. It operates through Merchant Acceptance, Financial Technology, and Payments and Network segments.