Jack in the Box (NASDAQ:JACK) Sets New 12-Month Low – Here’s Why

Jack in the Box Inc. (NASDAQ:JACK)’s stock price reached a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $30.54 and last traded at $30.74, with a volume of 535005 shares. The stock had previously closed at $31.00.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have weighed in on JACK. Guggenheim reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $55.00 price objective on shares of Jack in the Box in a report on Thursday, February 27th. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price target on Jack in the Box from $52.00 to $40.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 10th. Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on Jack in the Box from $53.00 to $45.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 21st. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Jack in the Box from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 27th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada dropped their target price on shares of Jack in the Box from $55.00 to $45.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, February 26th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have issued a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $49.56.

Jack in the Box Stock Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of $579.69 million, a P/E ratio of -15.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.29 and a beta of 1.95. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $37.87 and a 200 day simple moving average of $42.76.

Jack in the Box (NASDAQ:JACK) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 25th. The restaurant operator reported $1.92 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.71 by $0.21. The firm had revenue of $469.44 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $470.47 million. Jack in the Box had a negative return on equity of 15.79% and a negative net margin of 2.34%. Equities analysts predict that Jack in the Box Inc. will post 5.33 earnings per share for the current year.

Jack in the Box Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 8th. Investors of record on Thursday, March 20th will be issued a $0.44 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 20th. This represents a $1.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.73%. Jack in the Box’s dividend payout ratio is currently -82.63%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Jack in the Box

In other news, SVP Sarah L. Super sold 1,688 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, December 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $40.52, for a total value of $68,397.76. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 16,815 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $681,343.80. This represents a 9.12 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 1.40% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Jack in the Box

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in JACK. Quadrant Capital Group LLC boosted its holdings in Jack in the Box by 96.7% during the fourth quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 899 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $37,000 after buying an additional 442 shares during the last quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio bought a new position in Jack in the Box during the 4th quarter worth approximately $40,000. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its stake in Jack in the Box by 229.7% during the 4th quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,055 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $44,000 after acquiring an additional 735 shares during the last quarter. KBC Group NV grew its holdings in Jack in the Box by 99.5% during the fourth quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 1,235 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $51,000 after purchasing an additional 616 shares during the period. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. raised its holdings in Jack in the Box by 168.6% in the fourth quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 1,558 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $65,000 after purchasing an additional 978 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 99.79% of the company’s stock.

Jack in the Box Company Profile

Jack in the Box Inc operates and franchises Jack in the Box and Del Taco quick-service restaurants in the United States. The company was founded in 1951 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.