Analysts Set Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) PT at $188.40

Shares of Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) have been assigned an average rating of “Hold” from the eleven brokerages that are covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1 year target price among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $188.40.

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the company. StockNews.com cut Discover Financial Services from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday. Barclays raised their target price on Discover Financial Services from $186.00 to $209.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price target on shares of Discover Financial Services from $193.00 to $210.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on shares of Discover Financial Services from $169.00 to $129.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 8th. Finally, UBS Group upgraded Discover Financial Services from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their target price for the company from $150.00 to $239.00 in a report on Monday, January 13th.

Discover Financial Services Stock Performance

Shares of DFS stock opened at $159.16 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09, a current ratio of 1.09 and a quick ratio of 1.03. Discover Financial Services has a one year low of $119.31 and a one year high of $205.76. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $174.55 and its 200 day simple moving average is $172.23. The stock has a market capitalization of $40.05 billion, a PE ratio of 9.97, a PEG ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 1.20.

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

Discover Financial Services Dividend Announcement

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

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Discover Financial Services

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. bought a new stake in shares of Discover Financial Services during the 4th quarter worth $33,000. Flagship Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Discover Financial Services during the fourth quarter worth about $34,000. Mattson Financial Services LLC purchased a new position in shares of Discover Financial Services in the 4th quarter worth about $34,000. Grove Bank & Trust increased its position in shares of Discover Financial Services by 78.1% during the 4th quarter. Grove Bank & Trust now owns 203 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 89 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bfsg LLC bought a new stake in Discover Financial Services in the 4th quarter worth approximately $35,000. Institutional investors own 86.94% of the company’s stock.

About Discover Financial Services

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.