PFG Investments LLC Takes Position in Synchrony Financial (NYSE:SYF)

PFG Investments LLC purchased a new position in Synchrony Financial (NYSE:SYF) in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 3,080 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $200,000.

Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Larson Financial Group LLC grew its stake in Synchrony Financial by 92.7% in the third quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 607 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 292 shares during the period. Quarry LP grew its position in shares of Synchrony Financial by 301.3% in the 3rd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 899 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $45,000 after buying an additional 675 shares during the period. Capital Performance Advisors LLP bought a new position in shares of Synchrony Financial in the 3rd quarter worth about $50,000. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. lifted its position in Synchrony Financial by 151.4% during the 4th quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 807 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $52,000 after acquiring an additional 486 shares during the period. Finally, Venturi Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in Synchrony Financial by 36.6% during the third quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,662 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $83,000 after acquiring an additional 445 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 96.48% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

SYF has been the subject of several recent research reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on shares of Synchrony Financial from $58.00 to $68.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, October 17th. Morgan Stanley raised Synchrony Financial from an “underweight” rating to an “overweight” rating and increased their target price for the stock from $40.00 to $82.00 in a research note on Thursday, December 19th. JMP Securities reaffirmed a “market outperform” rating and issued a $60.00 price target on shares of Synchrony Financial in a research report on Monday, October 14th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Synchrony Financial from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and increased their price objective for the company from $59.00 to $72.00 in a research report on Monday, December 9th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised shares of Synchrony Financial from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $60.00 to $85.00 in a report on Tuesday, December 3rd. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Synchrony Financial currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $69.30.

Synchrony Financial Price Performance

Shares of Synchrony Financial stock opened at $68.90 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $26.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.07, a P/E/G ratio of 0.80 and a beta of 1.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.01, a quick ratio of 1.25 and a current ratio of 1.24. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $67.16 and its 200 day moving average is $57.43. Synchrony Financial has a one year low of $37.91 and a one year high of $70.93.

Synchrony Financial (NYSE:SYF) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 28th. The financial services provider reported $1.91 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.89 by $0.02. Synchrony Financial had a return on equity of 18.30% and a net margin of 15.36%. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Synchrony Financial will post 6.73 earnings per share for the current year.

Synchrony Financial Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 18th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 3rd will be issued a dividend of $0.25 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, February 3rd. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.45%. Synchrony Financial’s dividend payout ratio is presently 11.71%.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider Jonathan S. Mothner sold 34,163 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, November 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $64.99, for a total transaction of $2,220,253.37. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 127,587 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,291,879.13. This trade represents a 21.12 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 0.33% of the company’s stock.

Synchrony Financial Company Profile

Synchrony Financial, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a consumer financial services company in the United States. It provides credit products, such as credit cards, commercial credit products, and consumer installment loans. The company also offers private label credit cards, dual co-brand and general purpose credit cards, short- and long-term installment loans, and consumer banking products; and deposit products, including certificates of deposit, individual retirement accounts, money market accounts, and savings accounts, and sweep and affinity deposits, as well as accepts deposits through third-party securities brokerage firms.