First Advantage (NYSE:FA) Sets New 12-Month High – What’s Next?

First Advantage Co. (NYSE:FA)’s stock price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $20.97 and last traded at $20.15, with a volume of 1950815 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $20.53.

Analyst Ratings Changes

FA has been the topic of several research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on First Advantage from $15.00 to $18.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, May 8th. Barclays lifted their price target on First Advantage from $15.00 to $20.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, May 8th. Stifel Nicolaus set a $18.00 price objective on First Advantage in a report on Friday, May 8th. Finally, Citigroup increased their price objective on First Advantage from $15.00 to $18.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, May 11th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, First Advantage currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $18.50.

First Advantage Stock Performance

The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $16.18 and its 200-day simple moving average is $13.78. The stock has a market cap of $3.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 656.67 and a beta of 1.17. The company has a current ratio of 3.85, a quick ratio of 3.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61.

First Advantage (NYSE:FA) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The company reported $0.26 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.21 by $0.05. First Advantage had a net margin of 0.65% and a return on equity of 13.16%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.17 EPS. First Advantage’s revenue was up 8.6% compared to the same quarter last year. First Advantage has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.150-1.250 EPS. Analysts forecast that First Advantage Co. will post 0.74 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at First Advantage

In related news, President Joelle M. Smith sold 23,334 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $15.00, for a total value of $350,010.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the president owned 19,393 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $290,895. The trade was a 54.61% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director James Lindsey Clark sold 4,921 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $15.69, for a total transaction of $77,210.49. Following the sale, the director directly owned 56,844 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $891,882.36. This represents a 7.97% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. 4.40% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On First Advantage

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Brighton Jones LLC acquired a new stake in shares of First Advantage during the 4th quarter worth approximately $257,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. raised its position in First Advantage by 4.3% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 35,567 shares of the company’s stock valued at $501,000 after purchasing an additional 1,471 shares in the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC raised its holdings in shares of First Advantage by 7.5% during the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 239,233 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,371,000 after buying an additional 16,664 shares in the last quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. bought a new stake in shares of First Advantage during the 2nd quarter worth $167,000. Finally, Russell Investments Group Ltd. boosted its stake in First Advantage by 627.7% in the second quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 67,178 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,116,000 after buying an additional 57,946 shares in the last quarter. 94.91% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About First Advantage

First Advantage is a global provider of background screening, identity verification and workforce risk management solutions. The company delivers a comprehensive suite of services that help employers verify candidate credentials, manage regulatory compliance and mitigate risk throughout the employee lifecycle. Its platform is built to integrate with leading human capital management and applicant tracking systems, enabling a seamless and scalable experience for organizations of all sizes.

The company’s core offerings include pre-employment and continuous background screening, digital identity verification, drug and health testing, and ongoing employee monitoring.