Atlanticus (NASDAQ:ATLC) Shares Down 7.9% – Should You Sell?

Atlanticus Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:ATLC) shares fell 7.9% on Friday . The company traded as low as $47.89 and last traded at $48.5750. 59,741 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 11% from the average session volume of 67,444 shares. The stock had previously closed at $52.75.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have issued reports on ATLC. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Atlanticus in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Citigroup restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Atlanticus in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Atlanticus from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Sunday, November 16th. Citizens Jmp boosted their price target on Atlanticus from $95.00 to $100.00 and gave the company a “market outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. Finally, B. Riley Financial assumed coverage on Atlanticus in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $90.00 price objective on the stock. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $88.75.

Atlanticus Price Performance

The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $56.71 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $59.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 1.25 and a quick ratio of 1.25. The firm has a market capitalization of $747.89 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.77 and a beta of 1.95.

Atlanticus (NASDAQ:ATLC) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, March 12th. The credit services provider reported $1.75 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.65 by $0.10. The firm had revenue of $1.47 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $691.81 million. Atlanticus had a net margin of 7.46% and a return on equity of 22.86%. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Atlanticus Holdings Corporation will post 4.49 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Atlanticus

In related news, Director Deal W. Hudson sold 1,675 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $59.72, for a total transaction of $100,031.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 60,467 shares in the company, valued at $3,611,089.24. This represents a 2.70% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Corporate insiders own 50.40% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Atlanticus

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Empowered Funds LLC grew its position in Atlanticus by 8.0% in the 4th quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 64,753 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $4,335,000 after purchasing an additional 4,805 shares during the last quarter. XTX Topco Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Atlanticus in the fourth quarter valued at about $594,000. Zacks Investment Management acquired a new stake in Atlanticus during the fourth quarter worth about $220,000. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its stake in Atlanticus by 54.7% during the fourth quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 704,282 shares of the credit services provider’s stock valued at $47,152,000 after acquiring an additional 249,100 shares during the period. Finally, Millennium Management LLC raised its holdings in Atlanticus by 75.4% in the 4th quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 29,240 shares of the credit services provider’s stock valued at $1,958,000 after acquiring an additional 12,574 shares in the last quarter. 14.15% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Atlanticus Company Profile

Atlanticus Holdings Corporation is a specialty financial services holding company that provides credit products and solutions to consumers across the United States. Through its subsidiaries, the company offers proprietary credit card programs, installment loan products and deposit accounts designed to serve customers who may have limited access to traditional credit. Atlanticus markets its offerings through a variety of channels, including direct?to?consumer online platforms, mail order, call centers and partnerships with retail and e-commerce businesses.

The company underwrites and services credit card portfolios under private-label and co-branded agreements, combining technology?enabled underwriting with tailored customer service.