PulteGroup (NYSE:PHM) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Citigroup Analyst Says

PulteGroup (NYSE:PHM) had its target price increased by research analysts at Citigroup from $136.00 to $138.00 in a research note issued to investors on Friday,MarketScreener reports. The firm currently has a “neutral” rating on the construction company’s stock. Citigroup’s target price suggests a potential upside of 8.03% from the company’s current price.

A number of other research analysts also recently issued reports on PHM. Barclays cut their price objective on shares of PulteGroup from $115.00 to $112.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 8th. Seaport Research Partners reissued a “sell” rating and set a $100.00 target price (down from $155.00) on shares of PulteGroup in a research report on Tuesday, April 7th. Evercore upgraded shares of PulteGroup from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $146.00 target price for the company in a research note on Monday, April 13th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price target on shares of PulteGroup from $150.00 to $133.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, April 10th. Finally, Bank of America reduced their price target on PulteGroup from $145.00 to $140.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 20th. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $140.71.

PulteGroup Price Performance

Shares of PHM stock opened at $127.74 on Friday. PulteGroup has a 1-year low of $95.20 and a 1-year high of $144.49. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $125.57 and its 200 day moving average is $124.66. The company has a market cap of $24.47 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.35, a PEG ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 1.33. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14, a current ratio of 0.94 and a quick ratio of 1.01.

PulteGroup (NYSE:PHM) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The construction company reported $1.79 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.80 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $3.41 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.40 billion. PulteGroup had a return on equity of 16.41% and a net margin of 12.14%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was down 12.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.57 earnings per share. Research analysts predict that PulteGroup will post 10.07 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

PulteGroup declared that its Board of Directors has approved a stock buyback plan on Thursday, April 23rd that authorizes the company to repurchase $1.50 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the construction company to repurchase up to 6.1% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are often a sign that the company’s leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other PulteGroup news, COO Matthew William Koart sold 15,309 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $135.79, for a total transaction of $2,078,809.11. Following the sale, the chief operating officer owned 42,418 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,759,940.22. The trade was a 26.52% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Todd N. Sheldon sold 14,220 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $135.01, for a total transaction of $1,919,842.20. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 69,753 shares in the company, valued at $9,417,352.53. The trade was a 16.93% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 149,952 shares of company stock worth $20,162,165 over the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.75% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On PulteGroup

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in PulteGroup during the 4th quarter worth about $466,653,000. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its holdings in shares of PulteGroup by 126.5% in the fourth quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 4,284,197 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $502,366,000 after purchasing an additional 2,392,580 shares during the period. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA purchased a new position in shares of PulteGroup in the third quarter worth about $315,883,000. AGF Management Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of PulteGroup in the third quarter worth about $174,347,000. Finally, American Century Companies Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of PulteGroup by 120.4% during the third quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,703,049 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $225,024,000 after purchasing an additional 930,287 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.90% of the company’s stock.

More PulteGroup News

Here are the key news stories impacting PulteGroup this week:

• Positive Sentiment: PulteGroup’s board approved a $1.5 billion increase to its share repurchase authorization (bringing total authorization to $2.1 billion), enabling repurchases of roughly 6.1% of shares — a capital-return move that often supports the stock. PulteGroup Announces $1.5 Billion Increase to Share Repurchase Authorization
• Positive Sentiment: Evercore raised its price target to $151 and maintained an “outperform” rating — the most bullish lift among recent analyst moves and implies material upside from current levels. Evercore price target lift to $151
• Neutral Sentiment: Goldman Sachs and Citigroup both nudged up price targets (to $142 and $138, respectively) but kept “neutral” ratings — modestly constructive but not a clear buy signal. Goldman Sachs PT raise Citigroup PT raise
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst and media coverage digging into Q1 results, valuation and the expanded buyback (slides, call transcript, and valuation pieces) may shape investor views but provide mixed signals rather than a clear directional catalyst. Earnings presentation
• Negative Sentiment: Q1 results: EPS of $1.79 missed consensus by $0.01 and fell sharply from $2.57 a year ago; revenue of $3.41B was roughly in line but down 12.4% YoY — a sign of continued demand softness. Q1 results and transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Margins compressed as incentives rose to stimulate sales in a stagnant market; coverage highlights falling selling prices and higher incentives, which weigh on near-term profitability. WSJ: lower profit
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple outlets and analyst notes flagged the earnings miss and continued pressure on closings and selling prices — a primary reason the stock is trading down despite the buyback boost. Seeking Alpha: earnings miss

About PulteGroup

PulteGroup, Inc (NYSE: PHM) is a U.S.-based residential homebuilder that designs, constructs and sells single-family homes and develops master-planned communities. The company operates multiple national and regional brands that target different buyer segments, including first-time buyers, move-up buyers and active-adult customers. Its operations encompass land acquisition and development, home design and construction, community amenities and ongoing customer service and warranty programs.

PulteGroup markets homes under several well-known brands, such as Pulte Homes, Centex and Del Webb, among others, offering a range of product types from entry-level detached homes to larger, higher-end residences and age-restricted active-adult communities.