DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE:DKS) Upgraded at Williams Trading

Williams Trading upgraded shares of DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE:DKS) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report report published on Thursday morning, Benzinga reports. Williams Trading currently has $235.00 price target on the sporting goods retailer’s stock, up from their prior price target of $154.00.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the company. DA Davidson lifted their price target on DICK’S Sporting Goods from $183.00 to $250.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday. Robert W. Baird lifted their price target on DICK’S Sporting Goods from $145.00 to $185.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Thursday. Citigroup lifted their price target on DICK’S Sporting Goods from $112.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, November 22nd. Wedbush boosted their target price on DICK’S Sporting Goods from $160.00 to $210.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Friday. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on DICK’S Sporting Goods from $160.00 to $235.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $196.95.

DICK’S Sporting Goods Stock Up 0.7 %

NYSE:DKS traded up $1.56 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $213.04. The stock had a trading volume of 1,382,984 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,228,734. The company has a market capitalization of $17.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.20 and a beta of 1.55. DICK’S Sporting Goods has a 1-year low of $100.98 and a 1-year high of $222.92. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $163.78 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $135.67. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57, a current ratio of 1.78 and a quick ratio of 0.56.

DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE:DKS) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, March 14th. The sporting goods retailer reported $3.85 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.35 by $0.50. DICK’S Sporting Goods had a net margin of 8.06% and a return on equity of 42.99%. The firm had revenue of $3.88 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.79 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.93 earnings per share. DICK’S Sporting Goods’s revenue was up 7.8% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that DICK’S Sporting Goods will post 13.07 EPS for the current year.

DICK’S Sporting Goods Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 12th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 29th will be paid a dividend of $1.10 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 27th. This represents a $4.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.07%. This is a positive change from DICK’S Sporting Goods’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.00. DICK’S Sporting Goods’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 32.84%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On DICK’S Sporting Goods

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Quarry LP acquired a new stake in shares of DICK’S Sporting Goods in the 2nd quarter valued at $26,000. Loring Wolcott & Coolidge Fiduciary Advisors LLP MA lifted its stake in shares of DICK’S Sporting Goods by 280.0% in the 4th quarter. Loring Wolcott & Coolidge Fiduciary Advisors LLP MA now owns 190 shares of the sporting goods retailer’s stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 140 shares during the last quarter. Fortis Capital Advisors LLC bought a new stake in DICK’S Sporting Goods during the first quarter valued at about $28,000. Pinnacle Holdings LLC bought a new stake in DICK’S Sporting Goods during the fourth quarter valued at about $39,000. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. boosted its holdings in DICK’S Sporting Goods by 236.8% during the fourth quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 293 shares of the sporting goods retailer’s stock valued at $43,000 after acquiring an additional 206 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.21% of the company’s stock.

About DICK’S Sporting Goods

DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a sporting goods retailer primarily in the United States. The company provides hardlines, includes sporting goods equipment, fitness equipment, golf equipment, and hunting and fishing gear products; apparel; and footwear and accessories.