Regional Management (NYSE:RM) Stock Lifted to Buy by Wall Street Zen

Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Regional Management (NYSE:RM) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report report published on Monday,Wall Street Zen reports.

Other analysts have also issued reports about the stock. Citizens Jmp cut their target price on shares of Regional Management from $45.00 to $43.00 and set a “market outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Citigroup restated a “market outperform” rating on shares of Regional Management in a report on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Regional Management from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Thursday. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Regional Management currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $43.00.

Regional Management Price Performance

Shares of Regional Management stock opened at $33.65 on Monday. Regional Management has a 52 week low of $29.89 and a 52 week high of $44.29. The company has a current ratio of 64.04, a quick ratio of 64.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.41. The stock has a market cap of $310.45 million, a PE ratio of 7.08 and a beta of 1.02. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $32.54 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $35.79.

Regional Management (NYSE:RM) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 29th. The credit services provider reported $0.85 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.81 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $168.01 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $165.69 million. Regional Management had a net margin of 6.98% and a return on equity of 12.49%.

Regional Management Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 16th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, August 19th were given a dividend of $0.30 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, August 19th. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.6%. Regional Management’s payout ratio is 25.26%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Regional Management

In related news, CEO Lakhbir S. Lamba purchased 3,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 12th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $31.76 per share, with a total value of $111,160.00. Following the purchase, the chief executive officer owned 55,734 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,770,111.84. This trade represents a 6.70% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, major shareholder Fund L.P. Forager sold 10,401 shares of Regional Management stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $32.22, for a total value of $335,120.22. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 919,136 shares in the company, valued at $29,614,561.92. This represents a 1.12% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 29,522 shares of company stock valued at $951,877. 10.90% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Regional Management

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of RM. Legal & General Group Plc purchased a new stake in shares of Regional Management in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $33,000. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its position in Regional Management by 183.8% during the 3rd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 931 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 603 shares in the last quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc grew its position in Regional Management by 140.7% during the 3rd quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 1,663 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $50,000 after purchasing an additional 972 shares in the last quarter. Algert Global LLC purchased a new position in Regional Management during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $209,000. Finally, Susquehanna Fundamental Investments LLC purchased a new position in Regional Management during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $266,000. 98.89% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Regional Management Company Profile

Regional Management Corp. (NYSE: RM) is a consumer finance company that provides personal installment loans to individuals who may have limited access to traditional bank credit. The company primarily serves non-prime borrowers through a combination of branch-based and online lending channels.

Its products generally include secured and unsecured consumer loans, along with optional insurance and other ancillary offerings. Regional Management evaluates borrowers based on their individual financial circumstances and provides loan services designed to meet personal, household and other consumer needs.

Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Greer, South Carolina, the company operates through a network of branches serving customers across several southeastern and southern U.S.