Daiwa Securities Group Inc. Has $2.36 Million Stock Holdings in The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (NYSE:IPG)

Daiwa Securities Group Inc. boosted its stake in The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (NYSE:IPG) by 5.4% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 72,180 shares of the business services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 3,675 shares during the quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc.’s holdings in Interpublic Group of Companies were worth $2,356,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also bought and sold shares of IPG. Compass Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Interpublic Group of Companies in the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. Clear Street Markets LLC lifted its stake in shares of Interpublic Group of Companies by 94.9% in the first quarter. Clear Street Markets LLC now owns 764 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 372 shares in the last quarter. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Interpublic Group of Companies in the fourth quarter valued at $29,000. Authentikos Wealth Advisory LLC bought a new position in shares of Interpublic Group of Companies in the third quarter valued at $33,000. Finally, Resurgent Financial Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Interpublic Group of Companies in the fourth quarter valued at $34,000. 98.43% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Transactions at Interpublic Group of Companies

In related news, CFO Ellen Tobi Johnson sold 40,393 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $32.20, for a total transaction of $1,300,654.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 88,350 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,844,870. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In related news, CFO Ellen Tobi Johnson sold 40,393 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $32.20, for a total transaction of $1,300,654.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 88,350 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,844,870. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CAO Christopher F. Carroll sold 18,382 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $32.20, for a total transaction of $591,900.40. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 42,390 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,364,958. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 249,646 shares of company stock worth $8,038,601 over the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.35% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on IPG shares. UBS Group started coverage on shares of Interpublic Group of Companies in a research report on Thursday, January 11th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $36.00 price target on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on shares of Interpublic Group of Companies from $38.00 to $37.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 9th. Barclays raised their price target on shares of Interpublic Group of Companies from $35.00 to $36.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Monday, January 29th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of Interpublic Group of Companies from $31.00 to $32.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, February 9th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $35.25.

Interpublic Group of Companies Stock Performance

Shares of IPG stock opened at $30.72 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $11.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.78, a P/E/G ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 1.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a current ratio of 1.06. The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. has a 52 week low of $27.20 and a 52 week high of $40.95. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $31.98 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $31.32.

Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE:IPG) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 8th. The business services provider reported $1.18 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.16 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $2.59 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.57 billion. Interpublic Group of Companies had a net margin of 10.09% and a return on equity of 30.52%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.02 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts forecast that The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. will post 2.78 earnings per share for the current year.

Interpublic Group of Companies Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 1st were paid a $0.33 dividend. This is an increase from Interpublic Group of Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.31. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 29th. This represents a $1.32 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.30%. Interpublic Group of Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 46.32%.

Interpublic Group of Companies Profile

The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc provides advertising and marketing services worldwide. It operates in three segments: Media, Data & Engagement Solutions, Integrated Advertising & Creativity Led Solutions, and Specialized Communications & Experiential Solutions. The Media, Data & Engagement Solutions segment provides media and communications services, digital services and products, advertising and marketing technology, e-commerce services, data management and analytics, strategic consulting, and digital brand experience under the IPG Mediabrands, UM, Initiative, Kinesso, Acxiom, Huge, MRM, and R/GA brand names.