Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) Shares Sold by Boussard & Gavaudan Investment Management LLP

Boussard & Gavaudan Investment Management LLP decreased its stake in Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) by 32.7% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 91,871 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 44,633 shares during the quarter. Discover Financial Services makes up approximately 1.2% of Boussard & Gavaudan Investment Management LLP’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 28th largest position. Boussard & Gavaudan Investment Management LLP’s holdings in Discover Financial Services were worth $12,883,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund lifted its stake in shares of Discover Financial Services by 1,747.6% in the third quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund now owns 116,400 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $16,330,000 after buying an additional 110,100 shares in the last quarter. Bridgewater Associates LP purchased a new position in shares of Discover Financial Services in the third quarter worth about $500,000. Townsquare Capital LLC lifted its stake in shares of Discover Financial Services by 4.5% in the third quarter. Townsquare Capital LLC now owns 4,769 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $669,000 after buying an additional 204 shares in the last quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group raised its stake in Discover Financial Services by 9.7% during the third quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group now owns 3,288 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $461,000 after purchasing an additional 290 shares during the period. Finally, Quantbot Technologies LP raised its stake in Discover Financial Services by 19.4% during the third quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP now owns 14,504 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $2,035,000 after purchasing an additional 2,360 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.94% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have commented on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on shares of Discover Financial Services from $148.00 to $161.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Friday, October 18th. Evercore ISI lifted 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. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Discover Financial Services from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, November 4th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of Discover Financial Services from $152.00 to $160.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, October 18th. Thirteen analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Discover Financial Services presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $138.81.

Discover Financial Services Stock Down 0.1 %

Shares of Discover Financial Services stock opened at $182.50 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $45.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.73, a PEG ratio of 1.17 and a beta of 1.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.28, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a current ratio of 1.08. Discover Financial Services has a one year low of $85.37 and a one year high of $188.26. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $155.09 and a two-hundred day moving average of $138.97.

Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 16th. The financial services provider reported $3.69 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.28 by $0.41. The company had revenue of $5.91 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.36 billion. Discover Financial Services had a net margin of 13.78% and a return on equity of 21.38%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.59 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that Discover Financial Services will post 13.34 earnings per share for the current year.

Discover Financial Services Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 5th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 21st will be given a dividend of $0.70 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 21st. This represents a $2.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.53%. Discover Financial Services’s payout ratio is currently 22.60%.

Discover Financial Services 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.