PDS Planning Inc Makes New Investment in Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE:RSG)

PDS Planning Inc acquired a new position in shares of Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE:RSG) during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 1,338 shares of the business services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $221,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd grew its position in shares of Republic Services by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd now owns 25,150 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $4,147,000 after acquiring an additional 66 shares during the period. Parcion Private Wealth LLC raised its stake in Republic Services by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Parcion Private Wealth LLC now owns 23,808 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $3,926,000 after purchasing an additional 68 shares in the last quarter. Stokes Family Office LLC raised its stake in Republic Services by 2.2% in the 3rd quarter. Stokes Family Office LLC now owns 3,209 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $457,000 after purchasing an additional 70 shares in the last quarter. WASHINGTON TRUST Co raised its stake in Republic Services by 4.5% in the 4th quarter. WASHINGTON TRUST Co now owns 1,620 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $267,000 after purchasing an additional 70 shares in the last quarter. Finally, FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC raised its stake in Republic Services by 56.3% in the 3rd quarter. FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC now owns 197 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 71 shares in the last quarter. 57.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Republic Services Trading Down 0.6 %

RSG opened at $190.62 on Wednesday. Republic Services, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $135.33 and a fifty-two week high of $192.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13, a current ratio of 0.56 and a quick ratio of 0.56. The firm has a market capitalization of $60.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.85, a PEG ratio of 3.35 and a beta of 0.68. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $186.59 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $169.85.

Republic Services (NYSE:RSG) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 27th. The business services provider reported $1.41 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.28 by $0.13. Republic Services had a net margin of 11.57% and a return on equity of 17.32%. The company had revenue of $3.83 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.73 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.13 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts predict that Republic Services, Inc. will post 6.01 earnings per share for the current year.

Republic Services Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, April 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, April 2nd were paid a $0.535 dividend. This represents a $2.14 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.12%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, April 1st. Republic Services’s dividend payout ratio is currently 39.12%.

Insider Activity

In other news, CEO Ark Jon Vander sold 5,446 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $184.10, for a total value of $1,002,608.60. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 85,113 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $15,669,303.30. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Morgan Stanley cut shares of Republic Services from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and set a $199.00 target price for the company. in a research report on Friday, March 15th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their target price on shares of Republic Services from $213.00 to $225.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, March 18th. Royal Bank of Canada started coverage on shares of Republic Services in a research report on Monday, April 8th. They issued a “sector perform” rating and a $198.00 target price for the company. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on shares of Republic Services from $173.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 28th. Finally, Oppenheimer upped their price objective on shares of Republic Services from $182.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 28th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $199.77.

Republic Services Company Profile

Republic Services, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, offers environmental services in the United States and Canada. It is involved in the collection and processing of recyclable, solid waste, and industrial waste materials; transportation and disposal of non-hazardous and hazardous waste streams; and other environmental solutions.