HSBC Holdings plc (NYSE:HSBC) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Hold” by Brokerages

Shares of HSBC Holdings plc (NYSE:HSBC – Get Rating) have been given a consensus rating of “Hold” by the seventeen brokerages that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and four have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month target price among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $681.75.

HSBC has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Royal Bank of Canada upped their target price on HSBC from GBX 750 ($9.05) to GBX 775 ($9.35) in a report on Friday, February 24th. Berenberg Bank increased their target price on shares of HSBC from GBX 625 ($7.54) to GBX 780 ($9.41) in a research report on Thursday, February 23rd. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of HSBC from GBX 780 ($9.41) to GBX 840 ($10.14) in a report on Wednesday, February 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded HSBC from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 5th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded HSBC from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, January 16th.

HSBC Stock Performance

NYSE HSBC opened at $37.24 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, a current ratio of 0.90 and a quick ratio of 0.90. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $35.85 and a 200-day moving average price of $31.31. HSBC has a 1 year low of $24.77 and a 1 year high of $39.63. The firm has a market cap of $147.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.12, a PEG ratio of 0.38 and a beta of 0.60.

HSBC Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 27th. Investors of record on Friday, March 3rd will be given a $1.15 dividend. This represents a $4.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 12.35%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 2nd. This is a boost from HSBC’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.45. HSBC’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 67.39%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On HSBC

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Voya Investment Management LLC bought a new position in shares of HSBC during the fourth quarter valued at about $1,014,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lifted its stake in HSBC by 5.6% in the fourth quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 44,716 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $1,393,000 after acquiring an additional 2,380 shares during the period. CI Private Wealth LLC bought a new position in HSBC in the 4th quarter worth $973,000. Captrust Financial Advisors bought a new stake in shares of HSBC during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $934,000. Finally, Thomas White International Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of HSBC in the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,855,000. 1.26% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About HSBC

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HSBC Holdings plc provides banking and financial services worldwide. The company operates through Wealth and Personal Banking, Commercial Banking, and Global Banking and Markets segments. The Wealth and Personal Banking segment offers retail banking and wealth products, including current and savings accounts, mortgages and personal loans, credit and debit cards, and local and international payment services; and wealth management services comprising insurance and investment products, global asset management services, investment management, and private wealth solutions.