UBS Group Cuts Equitable (NYSE:EQH) Price Target to $58.00

Equitable (NYSE:EQH) had its price objective trimmed by UBS Group from $66.00 to $58.00 in a research note published on Thursday morning, Marketbeat reports. The firm currently has a buy rating on the stock.

EQH has been the subject of several other reports. Barclays decreased their price objective on shares of Equitable from $57.00 to $49.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday. Raymond James Financial set a $60.00 price target on shares of Equitable in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on shares of Equitable from $60.00 to $57.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Equitable from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, February 28th. Finally, Zacks Research lowered shares of Equitable from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have issued a Buy rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $57.73.

Equitable Stock Down 2.6%

Shares of NYSE EQH opened at $37.50 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 0.13, a quick ratio of 0.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 16.42. Equitable has a 12 month low of $35.19 and a 12 month high of $56.61. The firm has a market capitalization of $10.51 billion, a PE ratio of -7.78, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.35 and a beta of 1.11. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $40.42 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $45.07.

Equitable Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 11th. Investors of record on Wednesday, March 4th were paid a $0.27 dividend. This represents a $1.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.9%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, March 4th. Equitable’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -22.41%.

Equitable announced that its board has authorized a share repurchase plan on Wednesday, February 11th that permits the company to buyback $1.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization permits the company to purchase up to 7.7% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are often an indication that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling at Equitable

In other Equitable news, CEO Mark Pearson sold 38,313 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, April 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $40.05, for a total transaction of $1,534,435.65. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 801,683 shares in the company, valued at approximately $32,107,404.15. This trade represents a 4.56% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, insider Nick Lane sold 10,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, April 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $40.04, for a total transaction of $400,400.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 124,218 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,973,688.72. This represents a 7.45% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 139,161 shares of company stock worth $6,096,913. 1.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Equitable

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Johnson Financial Group Inc. bought a new stake in Equitable during the 3rd quarter valued at about $26,000. Root Financial Partners LLC bought a new stake in Equitable during the 3rd quarter valued at about $36,000. Hilltop National Bank bought a new stake in Equitable during the 3rd quarter valued at about $37,000. Covestor Ltd increased its stake in Equitable by 124.7% during the 4th quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 728 shares of the company’s stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 404 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd bought a new stake in Equitable during the 3rd quarter valued at about $38,000. 92.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about Equitable

Here are the key news stories impacting Equitable this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Board-approved $1.0 billion share buyback (up to ~7.7% of shares) provides balance‑sheet support and buyback-driven EPS/capital return optionality. MarketBeat EQH Company Page
• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly dividend of $0.27 (annualized $1.08, ~2.8% yield) remains in place, offering income support for shareholders. MarketBeat Dividend Report
• Positive Sentiment: Despite recent trims, the analyst consensus remains largely positive (many Buy/Outperform ratings and a consensus target near the mid‑$50s), implying continued upside from current levels. MarketBeat Analyst Coverage
• Neutral Sentiment: UBS cut its price target from $66 to $58 but kept a “buy” rating — the target still implies sizable upside vs. the current price. UBS PT Lowered to $58 (AmericanBankingNews)
• Neutral Sentiment: Wells Fargo trimmed its target to $56 and Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lowered theirs to $51, yet both maintain overweight/outperform stances — these trims reduce upside expectations slightly but are not full downgrades. Benzinga: Wells Fargo & KBW Coverage TickerReport: KBW PT Lowered
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: CEO/COO-level insiders (Nick Lane and Jeffrey Hurd) sold shares under pre-arranged 10b5‑1 plans (combined disclosed sales on/around April 8), which can sap near‑term sentiment despite being pre-planned. InsiderTrades: EQH Insider Sales

About Equitable

Equitable Holdings, Inc (NYSE: EQH) is a leading provider of life insurance, annuities and retirement plan services in the United States. Through its insurance subsidiary, AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, the firm offers a broad range of permanent and term life insurance products designed to help individuals and families manage risk and build wealth. In addition, Equitable provides fixed, variable and indexed annuity solutions to support income planning in retirement, as well as a suite of group retirement and pension plan services for employers and plan sponsors.

The company also maintains an asset management arm that delivers investment strategies across equities, fixed income and alternative asset classes for both retail and institutional clients.