StockNews.com Lowers Prudential (NYSE:PUK) to Sell

StockNews.com downgraded shares of Prudential (NYSE:PUK) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report released on Thursday morning.

Separately, BNP Paribas raised Prudential from a neutral rating to an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 26th.

Prudential Price Performance

PUK opened at $19.33 on Thursday. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $19.13 and a 200 day moving average price of $19.78. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a current ratio of 0.03 and a quick ratio of 0.03. Prudential has a 12 month low of $17.12 and a 12 month high of $28.59.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Prudential

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of PUK. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. raised its stake in Prudential by 15.8% in the fourth quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 2,011,551 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $45,159,000 after buying an additional 274,674 shares in the last quarter. Optiver Holding B.V. acquired a new stake in shares of Prudential during the 4th quarter worth about $5,108,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its stake in Prudential by 16.4% during the fourth quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 913,220 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $20,499,000 after purchasing an additional 128,949 shares during the last quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. boosted its holdings in Prudential by 30.5% in the fourth quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. now owns 537,636 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $12,069,000 after purchasing an additional 125,548 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald L. P. purchased a new position in Prudential in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $1,012,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 1.90% of the company’s stock.

About Prudential

Prudential plc, through its subsidiaries, provides life and health insurance, and asset management solutions to individuals in Asia and Africa. The company was founded in 1848 and is headquartered in Central, Hong Kong.