RCI Hospitality (NASDAQ:RICK) Given Buy Rating at HC Wainwright

HC Wainwright reaffirmed their buy rating on shares of RCI Hospitality (NASDAQ:RICK) in a research report sent to investors on Wednesday morning, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a $98.00 target price on the restaurant operator’s stock.

Separately, StockNews.com raised RCI Hospitality from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Monday.

RCI Hospitality Trading Up 0.5 %

RCI Hospitality stock opened at $41.69 on Wednesday. RCI Hospitality has a 52 week low of $37.61 and a 52 week high of $69.40. The firm has a market capitalization of $375.21 million, a PE ratio of 20.44 and a beta of 1.55. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $44.28 and its 200-day simple moving average is $46.67. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 0.90.

RCI Hospitality (NASDAQ:RICK) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, August 8th. The restaurant operator reported ($0.56) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.71 by ($1.27). RCI Hospitality had a net margin of 1.67% and a return on equity of 1.76%. The business had revenue of $76.18 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $72.79 million. RCI Hospitality’s quarterly revenue was down 1.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts forecast that RCI Hospitality will post 0.69 earnings per share for the current year.

RCI Hospitality Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 16th were given a dividend of $0.07 per share. This is a boost from RCI Hospitality’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.06. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, September 16th. This represents a $0.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.67%. RCI Hospitality’s payout ratio is currently 13.73%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On RCI Hospitality

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Victory Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in RCI Hospitality during the 2nd quarter worth $76,000. Point72 Asset Management L.P. acquired a new stake in shares of RCI Hospitality during the second quarter worth $88,000. Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC bought a new stake in RCI Hospitality in the second quarter valued at about $175,000. SG Americas Securities LLC acquired a new position in RCI Hospitality in the second quarter valued at about $177,000. Finally, EntryPoint Capital LLC boosted its holdings in RCI Hospitality by 246.3% during the first quarter. EntryPoint Capital LLC now owns 3,958 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $230,000 after buying an additional 2,815 shares during the last quarter. 53.82% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About RCI Hospitality

RCI Hospitality Holdings, Inc, through its subsidiaries, engages in the hospitality and related businesses in the United States. It operates in Nightclubs, Bombshells, and Media Group segments. The company’s wholly-owned subsidiaries own and/or operates upscale adult nightclubs serving primarily businessmen and professionals under the Rick's Cabaret, Jaguars Club, Tootsie's Cabaret, XTC Cabaret, Club Onyx, Hoops Cabaret and Sports Bar, Scarlett's Cabaret, Temptations Adult Cabaret, Foxy's Cabaret, Vivid Cabaret, Downtown Cabaret, Cabaret East, The Seville, Silver City Cabaret, and Kappa Men's Club.