OUTFRONT Media (NYSE:OUT) Sets New 52-Week High – Should You Buy?

Shares of OUTFRONT Media Inc. (NYSE:OUT) reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $25.79 and last traded at $25.59, with a volume of 31065 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $25.47.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

OUT has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. New Street Research set a $24.00 target price on shares of OUTFRONT Media in a report on Tuesday, November 11th. Citigroup reissued a “buy” rating and set a $23.00 price objective (up previously from $20.00) on shares of OUTFRONT Media in a research note on Wednesday, November 12th. Barrington Research reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $21.00 target price on shares of OUTFRONT Media in a research note on Friday, November 7th. Zacks Research upgraded OUTFRONT Media from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Monday, January 26th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded OUTFRONT Media from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, November 15th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and six have issued a Buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $24.57.

OUTFRONT Media Stock Performance

The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $24.11 and its 200 day moving average price is $20.58. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.75. The firm has a market cap of $4.29 billion, a PE ratio of 37.72, a P/E/G ratio of 1.26 and a beta of 1.56.

OUTFRONT Media (NYSE:OUT) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The financial services provider reported $0.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.50 by ($0.21). The company had revenue of $467.50 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $458.32 million. OUTFRONT Media had a net margin of 6.86% and a return on equity of 21.56%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.19 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts forecast that OUTFRONT Media Inc. will post 1.59 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

OUTFRONT Media Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 31st. Investors of record on Friday, December 5th were issued a dividend of $0.30 per share. This represents a $1.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.7%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 5th. OUTFRONT Media’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 176.47%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other OUTFRONT Media news, Director Manuel A. Diaz sold 11,271 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $24.49, for a total value of $276,026.79. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 47,515 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,163,642.35. This trade represents a 19.17% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.47% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On OUTFRONT Media

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Advisory Services Network LLC bought a new stake in shares of OUTFRONT Media in the third quarter worth $29,000. Private Trust Co. NA acquired a new position in OUTFRONT Media during the 3rd quarter worth $33,000. Farther Finance Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of OUTFRONT Media by 157.6% in the 4th quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 2,339 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $56,000 after purchasing an additional 1,431 shares during the last quarter. IFP Advisors Inc increased its position in shares of OUTFRONT Media by 16.5% in the 3rd quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 4,107 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $78,000 after purchasing an additional 582 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Rossby Financial LCC raised its stake in shares of OUTFRONT Media by 42.4% in the 2nd quarter. Rossby Financial LCC now owns 6,953 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $113,000 after purchasing an additional 2,071 shares in the last quarter.

OUTFRONT Media Company Profile

OUTFRONT Media Inc is a leading out-of-home (OOH) advertising company offering a broad range of billboard, transit and digital display solutions across major urban markets in the United States and Canada. Its portfolio encompasses traditional static billboards, high-resolution digital signage, transit media on buses, trains and taxis, as well as street furniture placements such as bus shelters, kiosks and urban panels. The company partners with brand marketers to deliver high-impact campaigns that engage consumers outside the home environment.

Through an extensive network of assets in key metropolitan areas, OUTFRONT provides advertisers with premium visibility along highways, city streets and transit corridors.