Maximus (NYSE:MMS) Sets New 1-Year High After Earnings Beat

Maximus, Inc. (NYSE:MMS)’s share price reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday following a stronger than expected earnings report. The stock traded as high as $90.65 and last traded at $86.84, with a volume of 129452 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $84.12.

The health services provider reported $1.57 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.31 by $0.26. The firm had revenue of $1.35 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.29 billion. Maximus had a return on equity of 15.68% and a net margin of 3.73%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 11.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.80 earnings per share.

Maximus Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 31st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, May 15th will be given a dividend of $0.30 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, May 14th. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.43%. Maximus’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 39.74%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Maximus from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 8th.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Maximus news, CFO David Mutryn sold 8,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $83.95, for a total transaction of $671,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 5,124 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $430,159.80. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 1.40% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Maximus

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of MMS. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank lifted its holdings in shares of Maximus by 18.7% during the third quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 9,436 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $705,000 after purchasing an additional 1,489 shares during the last quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. increased its stake in Maximus by 6.1% in the 3rd quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 28,324 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $2,115,000 after buying an additional 1,636 shares in the last quarter. Advisor Partners II LLC raised its position in shares of Maximus by 70.9% during the third quarter. Advisor Partners II LLC now owns 7,692 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $574,000 after buying an additional 3,191 shares during the last quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC bought a new stake in shares of Maximus in the third quarter worth about $210,000. Finally, TD Asset Management Inc raised its holdings in shares of Maximus by 54.9% during the 3rd quarter. TD Asset Management Inc now owns 27,100 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $2,024,000 after acquiring an additional 9,600 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 97.21% of the company’s stock.

Maximus Trading Down 0.4 %

The stock’s 50 day moving average is $82.35 and its 200-day moving average is $81.64. The company has a quick ratio of 1.69, a current ratio of 1.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. The company has a market cap of $5.11 billion, a PE ratio of 27.74 and a beta of 0.72.

Maximus Company Profile

Maximus, Inc operates as a provider of government services in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: U.S. Federal Services, U.S. Services, and Outside the U.S. The U.S. Services segment offers program eligibility support and enrollment; centralized multilingual customer contact centers, multichannel, and digital self-service options for enrollment; application assistance and independent health plan choice counseling; beneficiary outreach, education, eligibility, enrollment, and redeterminations; and person-centered independent disability, long-term sick, and other health assessments.