UBS Group Issues Pessimistic Forecast for Houlihan Lokey (NYSE:HLI) Stock Price

Houlihan Lokey (NYSE:HLI) had its target price decreased by research analysts at UBS Group from $196.00 to $163.00 in a research note issued on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a “neutral” rating on the financial services provider’s stock. UBS Group’s target price indicates a potential upside of 16.78% from the stock’s previous close.

HLI has been the subject of a number of other reports. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their target price on Houlihan Lokey from $243.00 to $210.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods decreased their price target on shares of Houlihan Lokey from $218.00 to $214.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on shares of Houlihan Lokey from $209.00 to $211.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on shares of Houlihan Lokey from $216.00 to $215.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, Weiss Ratings lowered Houlihan Lokey from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research report on Monday. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $204.57.

Houlihan Lokey Stock Performance

HLI opened at $139.57 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $9.74 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.44 and a beta of 0.95. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $170.57 and its 200 day moving average is $182.27. Houlihan Lokey has a fifty-two week low of $137.99 and a fifty-two week high of $211.78.

Houlihan Lokey (NYSE:HLI) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The financial services provider reported $1.94 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.85 by $0.09. Houlihan Lokey had a net margin of 16.91% and a return on equity of 24.46%. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.64 EPS. Houlihan Lokey’s revenue was up 13.0% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts predict that Houlihan Lokey will post 5.98 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, General Counsel Christopher M. Crain sold 500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $174.17, for a total transaction of $87,085.00. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Robert A. Schriesheim sold 5,000 shares of Houlihan Lokey stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $170.86, for a total transaction of $854,300.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 27,982 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,781,004.52. The trade was a 15.16% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 22.83% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Houlihan Lokey

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Montanaro Asset Management Ltd grew its stake in shares of Houlihan Lokey by 9.7% during the fourth quarter. Montanaro Asset Management Ltd now owns 97,650 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $17,010,000 after acquiring an additional 8,650 shares during the last quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd purchased a new stake in Houlihan Lokey during the 4th quarter worth approximately $171,000. Sankala Group LLC purchased a new stake in Houlihan Lokey during the 4th quarter worth approximately $169,000. Pacer Advisors Inc. increased its stake in Houlihan Lokey by 11.5% during the 4th quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 8,065 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $1,405,000 after purchasing an additional 830 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Virtu Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of Houlihan Lokey in the fourth quarter worth $863,000. 78.07% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Houlihan Lokey Company Profile

Houlihan Lokey, Inc is a global investment bank and financial services firm founded in 1972 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California. The company specializes in advisory services across a broad range of transaction types and financial matters. Since its founding, Houlihan Lokey has grown to serve corporations, financial sponsors, and government entities worldwide, providing expertise in complex and high-stakes engagements.

The firm’s core service offerings include mergers and acquisitions advisory, capital markets advisory, financial restructuring and distressed M&A, and valuation and fairness opinions.