J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. (NASDAQ:JBHT) Receives $200.05 Consensus Price Target from Analysts

J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. (NASDAQ:JBHT) has been assigned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty-four analysts that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1-year target price among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $200.0455.

A number of equities research analysts have commented on the company. TD Cowen restated a “hold” rating on shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services in a research report on Monday, January 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services from $176.00 to $211.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, January 12th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $227.00 price target on shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services in a report on Thursday, December 11th. Benchmark upped their price objective on shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services from $212.00 to $220.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. Finally, Wolfe Research reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $214.00 target price on shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services in a research report on Thursday, January 8th.

Key Stories Impacting J.B. Hunt Transport Services

Here are the key news stories impacting J.B. Hunt Transport Services this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Board raised the quarterly dividend to $0.45 (2.3% increase), payable Feb. 20 with an ex-dividend/record date of Feb. 6 — reinforces cash return policy and signals confidence in cash flow. J. B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. Announces Increase to Quarterly Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades and coverage pushed the stock to a new 12‑month high after firms raised price targets and reiterated overweight/outperform views — supports further upside from improved sentiment. J.B. Hunt Transport Services (NASDAQ:JBHT) Sets New 12-Month High on Analyst Upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: High-profile bullish commentary (Jim Cramer) saying J.B. Hunt could “make a fortune” when freight turns around likely adds retail interest and momentum. Jim Cramer Says “When the Freight Market Turns Around, J.B.Hunt Should Be Able to Make a Fortune”
• Neutral Sentiment: Brokerage coverage is mixed-to-positive overall (consensus “Moderate Buy”); some firms raised targets substantially while others remain cautious — implies upside but not unanimous. MarketBeat JBHT Coverage Summary
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple insiders sold stock this week: EVP Bradley W. Hicks sold 3,919 shares at ~$210; EVP Ronald Greer Woodruff sold 1,391 shares at ~$207; COO Nicholas Hobbs sold 3,038 shares at ~$201. Collective insider selling can be interpreted as a near-term negative signal, though insiders still retain sizable holdings. Bradley W. Hicks Insider Sale Filing SEC Filing (Hicks)
• Negative Sentiment: Additional insider sale filings: Ronald Greer Woodruff (SEC filing) and COO Nicholas Hobbs sold shares in separate transactions, reducing individual stakes by double-digit and low-single-digit percentages respectively — could add selling pressure. SEC Filing (Woodruff) COO Nicholas Hobbs Insider Sale

J.B. Hunt Transport Services Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:JBHT opened at $206.75 on Friday. The company’s fifty day moving average is $192.24 and its two-hundred day moving average is $163.89. The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22. J.B. Hunt Transport Services has a 12-month low of $122.79 and a 12-month high of $212.00. The company has a market cap of $19.69 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.68 and a beta of 1.27.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (NASDAQ:JBHT) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, January 15th. The transportation company reported $1.90 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.81 by $0.09. J.B. Hunt Transport Services had a return on equity of 16.33% and a net margin of 4.99%.The business had revenue of $3.10 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.10 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.53 earnings per share. J.B. Hunt Transport Services’s revenue was down 1.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect that J.B. Hunt Transport Services will post 6.37 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 20th. Investors of record on Friday, February 6th will be issued a dividend of $0.45 per share. This is a positive change from J.B. Hunt Transport Services’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.44. This represents a $1.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 6th. J.B. Hunt Transport Services’s dividend payout ratio is 28.66%.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services announced that its board has initiated a share repurchase plan on Wednesday, October 22nd that permits the company to buyback $0.00 in shares. This buyback authorization permits the transportation company to reacquire shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are typically an indication that the company’s management believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Transactions at J.B. Hunt Transport Services

In other J.B. Hunt Transport Services news, CAO John Kuhlow sold 3,225 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $179.76, for a total value of $579,726.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 13,095 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,353,957.20. This represents a 19.76% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, COO Nicholas Hobbs sold 3,038 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $201.97, for a total value of $613,584.86. Following the sale, the chief operating officer directly owned 90,318 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $18,241,526.46. This trade represents a 3.25% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 23,457 shares of company stock valued at $4,413,991. Corporate insiders own 2.30% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of J.B. Hunt Transport Services

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Root Financial Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services during the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Private Trust Co. NA increased its position in J.B. Hunt Transport Services by 57.8% during the second quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 202 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 74 shares during the last quarter. Cromwell Holdings LLC raised its holdings in J.B. Hunt Transport Services by 52.2% during the third quarter. Cromwell Holdings LLC now owns 207 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 71 shares in the last quarter. Sentry Investment Management LLC bought a new position in J.B. Hunt Transport Services during the third quarter valued at about $32,000. Finally, CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC acquired a new stake in shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services in the second quarter worth about $31,000. 74.95% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About J.B. Hunt Transport Services

J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc is a leading provider of transportation and logistics solutions headquartered in Lowell, Arkansas. The company offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to move freight efficiently across North America, including intermodal, dedicated contract services, full truckload, less-than-truckload (LTL), final mile delivery and specialized transport.

In its intermodal segment, J.B. Hunt leverages a network of rail and truck assets to transport containers and trailers on major U.S.