Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) Stock Holdings Lifted by AQR Capital Management LLC

AQR Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) by 0.7% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 171,921 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,165 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC owned 0.07% of Discover Financial Services worth $21,867,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in DFS. Brave Warrior Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Discover Financial Services by 10.6% in the fourth quarter. Brave Warrior Advisors LLC now owns 2,633,167 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $295,968,000 after acquiring an additional 251,909 shares during the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Discover Financial Services by 60.9% during the 4th quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 2,122,824 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $238,605,000 after purchasing an additional 803,738 shares during the last quarter. Cooke & Bieler LP raised its holdings in shares of Discover Financial Services by 5.1% during the 2nd quarter. Cooke & Bieler LP now owns 1,281,950 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $167,692,000 after purchasing an additional 62,595 shares in the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD lifted its stake in shares of Discover Financial Services by 67.5% in the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 1,257,086 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $141,297,000 after purchasing an additional 506,801 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hsbc Holdings PLC boosted its holdings in Discover Financial Services by 6.7% in the second quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 1,181,333 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $154,064,000 after purchasing an additional 73,902 shares in the last quarter. 86.94% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Discover Financial Services Trading Up 0.8 %

Shares of Discover Financial Services stock opened at $140.32 on Tuesday. Discover Financial Services has a 52-week low of $79.04 and a 52-week high of $147.61. The firm has a market capitalization of $35.19 billion, a PE ratio of 16.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.94 and a beta of 1.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.28, a current ratio of 1.12 and a quick ratio of 1.04. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $134.50 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $129.33.

Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 17th. The financial services provider reported $6.06 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.06 by $3.00. The firm had revenue of $4.54 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.18 billion. Discover Financial Services had a net margin of 12.88% and a return on equity of 20.92%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 17.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $3.54 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect that Discover Financial Services will post 12.88 EPS for the current year.

Discover Financial Services Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 5th. Investors of record on Thursday, August 22nd were paid a $0.70 dividend. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.00%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, August 22nd. Discover Financial Services’s dividend payout ratio is 31.93%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have weighed in on DFS shares. BTIG Research started coverage on Discover Financial Services in a report on Friday, June 7th. They set a “neutral” rating on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Discover Financial Services from $132.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, July 19th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on Discover Financial Services from $115.00 to $119.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a report on Friday, July 19th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on shares of Discover Financial Services from $145.00 to $150.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 9th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada upped their price objective on shares of Discover Financial Services from $140.00 to $148.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Friday, July 19th. Thirteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Discover Financial Services presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $132.94.

About Discover Financial Services

Discover Financial Services, through its subsidiaries, provides digital banking products and services, and payment services in the United States. It operates in two segments, Digital Banking and Payment Services. The Digital Banking segment offers Discover-branded credit cards to individuals; private student loans, personal loans, home loans, and other consumer lending; and direct-to-consumer deposit products comprising savings accounts, certificates of deposit, money market accounts, IRA certificates of deposit, IRA savings accounts and checking accounts, and sweep accounts.