Signaturefd LLC Has $1.29 Million Stake in Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS)

Signaturefd LLC lifted its stake in shares of Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) by 2.1% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 7,461 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after buying an additional 152 shares during the period. Signaturefd LLC’s holdings in Discover Financial Services were worth $1,292,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Discover Financial Services during the 4th quarter worth approximately $38,489,000. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. grew its position in shares of Discover Financial Services by 10.5% during the 3rd quarter. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 115,487 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $16,202,000 after buying an additional 10,946 shares during the period. Brookstone Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Discover Financial Services during the 4th quarter worth approximately $282,000. Meyer Handelman Co. acquired a new stake in shares of Discover Financial Services during the 4th quarter worth approximately $239,000. Finally, Mechanics Bank Trust Department acquired a new stake in shares of Discover Financial Services during the 4th quarter worth approximately $234,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.94% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. Barclays increased their target price on Discover Financial Services from $186.00 to $209.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. StockNews.com cut Discover Financial Services from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. UBS Group upgraded Discover Financial Services from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their target price for the stock from $150.00 to $239.00 in a report on Monday, January 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on Discover Financial Services from $146.00 to $169.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Discover Financial Services from $185.00 to $214.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $191.91.

Discover Financial Services Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:DFS opened at $158.91 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $186.78 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $168.54. Discover Financial Services has a 1-year low of $119.31 and a 1-year high of $205.76. The stock has a market cap of $39.98 billion, a PE ratio of 9.96, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 1.45.

Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 22nd. The financial services provider reported $5.11 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.13 by $1.98. Discover Financial Services had a return on equity of 26.18% and a net margin of 17.29%. As a group, analysts forecast that Discover Financial Services will post 13.88 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Discover Financial Services Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 6th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 23rd will be paid a dividend of $0.70 per share. This represents a $2.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.76%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 23rd. Discover Financial Services’s payout ratio is 17.54%.

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.