Jefferies Financial Group (NYSE:JEF) Upgraded at Wall Street Zen

Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Jefferies Financial Group (NYSE:JEF) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report released on Saturday,Wall Street Zen reports.

A number of other brokerages have also recently issued reports on JEF. Loop Capital set a $60.00 target price on shares of Jefferies Financial Group in a report on Monday, June 8th. Capital One Financial set a $57.00 price target on Jefferies Financial Group in a research report on Friday, September 11th. BMO Capital Markets dropped their price objective on Jefferies Financial Group from $60.00 to $57.00 and set a “market perform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, September 11th. Weiss Ratings cut Jefferies Financial Group from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 27th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on Jefferies Financial Group from $44.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 9th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Jefferies Financial Group has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $62.75.

Jefferies Financial Group Price Performance

Shares of JEF opened at $47.67 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.98, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $53.89 and its 200 day simple moving average is $50.75. Jefferies Financial Group has a 1-year low of $35.53 and a 1-year high of $71.04. The company has a market cap of $9.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.32 and a beta of 1.52.

Jefferies Financial Group (NYSE:JEF) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, June 24th. The financial services provider reported $1.02 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.16 by ($0.14). Jefferies Financial Group had a net margin of 7.58% and a return on equity of 9.23%. The firm had revenue of $2.21 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.30 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.40 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 35.0% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts forecast that Jefferies Financial Group will post 3.97 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Jefferies Financial Group declared that its Board of Directors has approved a share buyback plan on Wednesday, June 24th that authorizes the company to repurchase $250.00 million in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the financial services provider to reacquire up to 2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are often an indication that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

Jefferies Financial Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 28th. Investors of record on Tuesday, August 18th were paid a $0.40 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, August 18th. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.4%. Jefferies Financial Group’s dividend payout ratio is 44.69%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Jefferies Financial Group

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new stake in Jefferies Financial Group during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $834,947,000. Barrow Hanley Mewhinney & Strauss LLC bought a new position in Jefferies Financial Group during the 2nd quarter worth $127,242,000. Norges Bank bought a new position in Jefferies Financial Group during the 4th quarter worth $145,584,000. Bamco Inc. NY acquired a new stake in shares of Jefferies Financial Group during the second quarter worth $107,044,000. Finally, Freestone Grove Partners LP bought a new stake in shares of Jefferies Financial Group in the second quarter valued at about $79,537,000. 60.88% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about Jefferies Financial Group

Here are the key news stories impacting Jefferies Financial Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Jefferies was reportedly selected by Carlyle Group’s Syniverse to assist with a debt overhaul. The mandate could generate advisory and financing fees while highlighting Jefferies’ restructuring and capital-markets capabilities. Carlyle Group’s Syniverse Taps Jefferies for Debt Overhaul
• Positive Sentiment: Jefferies forecasts the S&P 500 could reach 9,000 by the end of 2027, citing artificial-intelligence investment, stronger corporate earnings and broader profit growth. The outlook may support investor sentiment toward Jefferies’ equities, research and investment-banking businesses, although it is not a direct earnings forecast for JEF. Why Jefferies Expects the S&P 500 to Reach 9,000 by 2027
• Neutral Sentiment: Jefferies is scheduled to report quarterly results on September 28. The stock was recently holding near $47.90 ahead of the release, making earnings guidance, investment-banking activity and trading performance key near-term catalysts. Jefferies stock holds near USD 47.90 before September 28 results
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts expect a year-over-year earnings decline and the latest screening suggests Jefferies lacks clear catalysts for an earnings beat. This follows the prior quarter’s EPS miss of $1.02 versus a $1.16 consensus estimate and revenue below expectations. Analysts Estimate Jefferies to Report a Decline in Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Reports describing a months-long dispute with Glencore regarding Radiant create a potential reputational and client-relationship overhang, though the supplied reports do not indicate a confirmed financial impact. Inside Jefferies’ months-long tussle with Glencore over Radiant

Jefferies Financial Group Company Profile

Jefferies Financial Group Inc (NYSE:JEF) is a diversified financial services company that provides investment banking, capital markets, asset management and wealth management services. Its principal operating business, Jefferies, advises companies, governments and institutional investors on mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, restructuring and other strategic transactions.

Through its investment banking and securities operations, Jefferies offers equity and fixed-income underwriting, sales and trading, research, prime brokerage and related services.