Cozad Asset Management Inc. Buys Shares of 58,173 Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE:FI)

Cozad Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE:FI) in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 58,173 shares of the business services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $7,728,000. Fiserv comprises about 0.9% of Cozad Asset Management Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 26th largest position.

A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in FI. Meritage Portfolio Management acquired a new position in shares of Fiserv in the 4th quarter worth $995,000. Piscataqua Savings Bank acquired a new stake in Fiserv during the 4th quarter worth about $67,000. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in Fiserv during the fourth quarter valued at about $78,000. Liberty Capital Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Fiserv in the fourth quarter worth about $7,071,000. Finally, Birch Hill Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Fiserv in the fourth quarter worth approximately $84,583,000. Institutional investors own 90.98% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In related news, COO Guy Chiarello sold 63,646 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $154.00, for a total value of $9,801,484.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 163,699 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $25,209,646. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 111,575 shares of company stock worth $17,022,387. Company insiders own 0.75% of the company’s stock.

Fiserv Stock Performance

Shares of Fiserv stock traded down $1.89 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $152.43. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 462,782 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,532,401. The firm has a market cap of $89.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.84, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.26 and a beta of 0.91. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $152.67 and its 200-day moving average price is $138.36. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a current ratio of 1.06. Fiserv, Inc. has a one year low of $109.11 and a one year high of $159.99.

Fiserv (NYSE:FI) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 23rd. The business services provider reported $1.88 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.77 by $0.11. Fiserv had a net margin of 16.68% and a return on equity of 15.73%. The business had revenue of $4.88 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.57 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.58 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Fiserv, Inc. will post 8.69 earnings per share for the current year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the stock. Susquehanna raised their price objective on shares of Fiserv from $175.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock a “positive” rating in a research note on Monday, March 25th. Mizuho reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $156.00 price target on shares of Fiserv in a report on Wednesday, March 27th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on Fiserv from $158.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 24th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their target price on Fiserv from $150.00 to $160.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, March 25th. Finally, Evercore ISI reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $185.00 target price on shares of Fiserv in a report on Tuesday, March 26th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nineteen have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $164.33.

Fiserv Profile

Fiserv, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides payments and financial services technology services in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Latin America, the Asia-Pacific, and internationally. It operates through Merchant Acceptance, Financial Technology, and Payments and Network segments.