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

PulteGroup (NYSE:PHM) had its price target boosted by research analysts at Evercore from $146.00 to $151.00 in a research report issued on Friday, MarketBeat.com reports. The brokerage presently has an “outperform” rating on the construction company’s stock. Evercore’s price target points to a potential upside of 18.21% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other analysts have also commented on PHM. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on PulteGroup from $132.00 to $140.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on PulteGroup from $149.00 to $131.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of PulteGroup from $136.00 to $138.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday. Weiss Ratings raised shares of PulteGroup from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. Finally, Bank of America decreased their price target on shares of PulteGroup from $145.00 to $140.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 20th. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, PulteGroup has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $140.71.

PulteGroup Stock Down 2.2%

Shares of PHM opened at $127.74 on Friday. PulteGroup has a 52 week low of $95.20 and a 52 week high of $144.49. The stock has a market capitalization of $24.47 billion, a price-to-earnings 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 quick ratio of 1.01 and a current ratio of 0.94. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $125.57 and a 200-day moving average of $124.66.

PulteGroup (NYSE:PHM) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 23rd. The construction company reported $1.79 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.80 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $3.41 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.40 billion. PulteGroup had a net margin of 12.14% and a return on equity of 16.41%. The company’s revenue was down 12.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $2.57 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that PulteGroup will post 10.07 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

PulteGroup announced that its board has initiated a stock repurchase plan on Thursday, April 23rd that allows the company to repurchase $1.50 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the construction company to buy up to 6.1% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are typically an indication that the company’s leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Activity at PulteGroup

In related news, VP Brien P. O’meara sold 4,000 shares of PulteGroup stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $135.51, for a total value of $542,040.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president directly owned 8,601 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,165,521.51. The trade was a 31.74% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Todd N. Sheldon sold 14,220 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 69,753 shares in the company, valued at $9,417,352.53. The trade was a 16.93% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 149,952 shares of company stock worth $20,162,165 in the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.75% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On PulteGroup

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in PHM. Rachor Investment Advisory Services LLC bought a new position in PulteGroup in the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. HHM Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in PulteGroup by 158.5% during the 1st quarter. HHM Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 274 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 168 shares in the last quarter. DV Equities LLC bought a new stake in shares of PulteGroup during the fourth quarter valued at about $32,000. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. bought a new stake in shares of PulteGroup during the fourth quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, Private Wealth Management Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of PulteGroup by 281.7% in the third quarter. Private Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 271 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. 89.90% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key 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.