Callan Capital LLC Boosts Stock Holdings in Lloyds Banking Group plc (NYSE:LYG)

Callan Capital LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Lloyds Banking Group plc (NYSE:LYG) by 255.8% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 40,527 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 29,136 shares during the period. Callan Capital LLC’s holdings in Lloyds Banking Group were worth $97,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in LYG. Naples Money Management LLC bought a new stake in Lloyds Banking Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Atria Wealth Solutions Inc. bought a new stake in Lloyds Banking Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Riversedge Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Lloyds Banking Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. Cherrydale Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Lloyds Banking Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Finally, Johnson Investment Counsel Inc. bought a new stake in Lloyds Banking Group in the 3rd quarter valued at about $27,000. 2.15% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Lloyds Banking Group Trading Up 3.6 %

LYG stock traded up $0.09 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $2.61. The company had a trading volume of 10,337,572 shares, compared to its average volume of 9,243,490. The company has a current ratio of 1.48, a quick ratio of 1.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.82. Lloyds Banking Group plc has a 52 week low of $1.88 and a 52 week high of $2.72. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $2.48 and its 200 day moving average price is $2.28. The stock has a market cap of $41.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.88, a PEG ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 1.32.

Lloyds Banking Group (NYSE:LYG) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 22nd. The financial services provider reported $0.11 EPS for the quarter. The company had revenue of $19.05 billion during the quarter. Lloyds Banking Group had a return on equity of 10.35% and a net margin of 13.41%. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Lloyds Banking Group plc will post 0.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Lloyds Banking Group Cuts Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 12th will be issued a $0.046 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 11th. This represents a yield of 5.9%. Lloyds Banking Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 47.37%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Berenberg Bank initiated coverage on Lloyds Banking Group in a research report on Thursday. They set a “hold” rating and a $2.75 price target on the stock. Bank of America raised Lloyds Banking Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, March 21st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $55.39.

Lloyds Banking Group Company Profile

Lloyds Banking Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides a range of banking and financial services in the United Kingdom and internationally. It operates in three segments: Retail; Commercial Banking; and Insurance, Pensions and Investments. The Retail segment offers a range of financial service products, including current accounts, savings, mortgages, motor finance, unsecured loans, leasing solutions, and credit cards to personal customers.