Synchrony Financial (NYSE:SYF) Given Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Shares of Synchrony Financial (NYSE:SYF) have earned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty-one research firms that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, fourteen have issued a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $68.10.

A number of research firms have weighed in on SYF. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded Synchrony Financial from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and increased their target price for the stock from $60.00 to $85.00 in a research note on Tuesday, December 3rd. Compass Point lowered Synchrony Financial from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $70.00 target price on the stock. in a research note on Tuesday, January 28th. Morgan Stanley upgraded Synchrony Financial from an “underweight” rating to an “overweight” rating and raised their price target for the company from $40.00 to $82.00 in a research note on Thursday, December 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Synchrony Financial from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and raised their price target for the company from $59.00 to $72.00 in a research note on Monday, December 9th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada raised their price target on Synchrony Financial from $70.00 to $73.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 29th.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Synchrony Financial

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Apollon Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Synchrony Financial by 2.3% during the fourth quarter. Apollon Wealth Management LLC now owns 7,094 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $461,000 after purchasing an additional 160 shares during the period. Covestor Ltd lifted its holdings in shares of Synchrony Financial by 6.0% during the fourth quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 3,085 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $200,000 after purchasing an additional 174 shares during the period. Gladstone Institutional Advisory LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Synchrony Financial by 1.9% during the fourth quarter. Gladstone Institutional Advisory LLC now owns 9,290 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $604,000 after purchasing an additional 176 shares during the period. Smithfield Trust Co lifted its holdings in shares of Synchrony Financial by 19.7% during the fourth quarter. Smithfield Trust Co now owns 1,099 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $69,000 after purchasing an additional 181 shares during the period. Finally, Wedmont Private Capital lifted its holdings in shares of Synchrony Financial by 2.6% during the fourth quarter. Wedmont Private Capital now owns 7,700 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $491,000 after purchasing an additional 192 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.48% of the company’s stock.

Synchrony Financial Stock Performance

SYF stock opened at $54.07 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.24, a current ratio of 1.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.01. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $62.41 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $60.36. Synchrony Financial has a twelve month low of $39.67 and a twelve month high of $70.93. The firm has a market cap of $21.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.33, a PEG ratio of 0.71 and a beta of 1.67.

Synchrony Financial (NYSE:SYF) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, January 28th. The financial services provider reported $1.91 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.89 by $0.02. Synchrony Financial had a return on equity of 18.30% and a net margin of 15.36%. Analysts predict that Synchrony Financial will post 7.67 earnings per share for the current year.

Synchrony Financial Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, February 18th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 3rd were issued a $0.25 dividend. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.85%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 3rd. Synchrony Financial’s dividend payout ratio is presently 11.71%.

About Synchrony Financial

Synchrony Financial, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a consumer financial services company in the United States. It provides credit products, such as credit cards, commercial credit products, and consumer installment loans. The company also offers private label credit cards, dual co-brand and general purpose credit cards, short- and long-term installment loans, and consumer banking products; and deposit products, including certificates of deposit, individual retirement accounts, money market accounts, and savings accounts, and sweep and affinity deposits, as well as accepts deposits through third-party securities brokerage firms.