BNP Paribas Financial Markets Reduces Stake in Strategic Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:STRA)

BNP Paribas Financial Markets trimmed its position in shares of Strategic Education, Inc. (NASDAQ:STRA) by 58.1% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 5,046 shares of the health services provider’s stock after selling 6,996 shares during the quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets’ holdings in Strategic Education were worth $467,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Meeder Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Strategic Education in the 2nd quarter worth about $36,000. CWM LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Strategic Education by 2,650.0% in the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 330 shares of the health services provider’s stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 318 shares in the last quarter. Rothschild Investment LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Strategic Education in the second quarter valued at approximately $38,000. Innealta Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Strategic Education during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $38,000. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group Inc. raised its position in shares of Strategic Education by 46.3% during the 2nd quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 395 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $44,000 after purchasing an additional 125 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.27% of the company’s stock.

Strategic Education Stock Performance

Shares of STRA opened at $99.01 on Friday. Strategic Education, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $85.11 and a fifty-two week high of $123.62. The company has a market capitalization of $2.43 billion, a PE ratio of 18.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 0.59. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $93.49 and a two-hundred day moving average of $99.82.

Strategic Education (NASDAQ:STRA) last released its earnings results on Thursday, November 7th. The health services provider reported $1.16 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.81 by $0.35. Strategic Education had a return on equity of 7.61% and a net margin of 10.44%. The firm had revenue of $305.96 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $301.62 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.97 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 7.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Strategic Education, Inc. will post 4.79 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Strategic Education Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 9th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 2nd were paid a dividend of $0.60 per share. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.42%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 2nd. Strategic Education’s dividend payout ratio is currently 45.71%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have commented on the company. StockNews.com cut Strategic Education from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, October 5th. Truist Financial decreased their price objective on Strategic Education from $145.00 to $120.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, October 16th. Finally, Barrington Research reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $135.00 target price on shares of Strategic Education in a research note on Thursday, November 7th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $126.00.

Strategic Education Company Profile

Strategic Education, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides education services through campus-based and online post-secondary education, and programs to develop job-ready skills. The company operates through U.S. Higher Education, Australia/New Zealand, and Education Technology Services segments. It operates Strayer University that offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business, criminal justice, education, health services, information technology, and public administration at physical campuses located in the eastern United States, as well as through online; non-degree web and mobile application development courses through Hackbright Academy and Devmountain; and MBA online through its Jack Welch Management Institute.