Regional Management (NYSE:RM) Upgraded to Strong-Buy at Wall Street Zen

Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Regional Management (NYSE:RM) from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note released on Saturday.

Several other equities research analysts have also issued reports on the stock. Zacks Research lowered shares of Regional Management from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 6th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Regional Management in a report on Monday, December 29th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $30.00.

Regional Management Trading Up 0.5%

Regional Management stock opened at $38.93 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $38.52 and a two-hundred day moving average of $37.59. The stock has a market capitalization of $377.96 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.42 and a beta of 1.07. Regional Management has a twelve month low of $25.41 and a twelve month high of $46.00.

Regional Management (NYSE:RM) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The credit services provider reported $1.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.39 by $0.03. Regional Management had a return on equity of 11.43% and a net margin of 6.57%.The business had revenue of $165.49 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $162.84 million. Equities analysts predict that Regional Management will post 4.7 earnings per share for the current year.

Regional Management Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 16th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, November 25th were given a dividend of $0.30 per share. This represents a $1.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, November 25th. Regional Management’s dividend payout ratio is presently 29.06%.

Insider Transactions at Regional Management

In related news, CAO Steven B. Barnette sold 1,640 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $37.00, for a total value of $60,680.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 21,338 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $789,506. This trade represents a 7.14% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Michael R. Dunn sold 5,580 shares of Regional Management stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.46, for a total transaction of $209,026.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 103,109 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,862,463.14. This represents a 5.13% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last three months, insiders have sold 11,640 shares of company stock worth $435,192. 10.80% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Regional Management

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Wexford Capital LP acquired a new position in shares of Regional Management in the third quarter valued at $32,000. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. raised its stake in shares of Regional Management by 41.1% in the 2nd quarter. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. now owns 947 shares of the credit services provider’s stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 276 shares in the last quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC bought a new position in shares of Regional Management during the 3rd quarter worth about $39,000. CWM LLC boosted its position in shares of Regional Management by 43.7% during the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,065 shares of the credit services provider’s stock valued at $41,000 after acquiring an additional 324 shares in the last quarter. Finally, BNP Paribas Financial Markets increased its stake in Regional Management by 45.3% in the third quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 2,077 shares of the credit services provider’s stock valued at $81,000 after acquiring an additional 648 shares during the period. 98.89% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Regional Management

Regional Management Corp., headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina, is a consumer finance company specializing in installment loan products for underbanked individuals. Since its founding in 1977, the company has developed a network of field-based branches alongside a digital platform to offer credit solutions in rural and small-town markets across the United States.

The company’s core offerings include consumer installment loans for everyday purchases, auto refinancing and lease buyouts, as well as ancillary services such as insurance referrals.