Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN) Shares Acquired by Czech National Bank

Czech National Bank lifted its position in shares of Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN) by 6.5% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 55,180 shares of the business services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 3,349 shares during the quarter. Czech National Bank’s holdings in Global Payments were worth $6,183,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Cromwell Holdings LLC purchased a new stake in Global Payments during the third quarter worth approximately $25,000. Beaird Harris Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Global Payments during the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. Capital Performance Advisors LLP acquired a new stake in Global Payments in the 3rd quarter valued at $33,000. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. raised its position in Global Payments by 59.6% in the third quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. now owns 383 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 143 shares during the period. Finally, Quarry LP lifted its stake in shares of Global Payments by 134.4% during the second quarter. Quarry LP now owns 511 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $49,000 after purchasing an additional 293 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.76% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on GPN. Sanford C. Bernstein lowered Global Payments from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and lowered their target price for the company from $135.00 to $112.00 in a research note on Tuesday, October 22nd. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Global Payments from $120.00 to $135.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 17th. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $122.00 target price (down from $155.00) on shares of Global Payments in a research report on Thursday, January 9th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Global Payments from $156.00 to $166.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 18th. Finally, Monness Crespi & Hardt decreased their price objective on shares of Global Payments from $165.00 to $155.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, September 25th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have assigned a hold rating and thirteen have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Global Payments presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $135.71.

Global Payments Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE GPN opened at $108.16 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.93, a current ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $114.24 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $106.96. Global Payments Inc. has a 52-week low of $91.60 and a 52-week high of $141.77. The stock has a market capitalization of $27.53 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.37, a P/E/G ratio of 0.88 and a beta of 1.00.

Global Payments Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 13th were given a dividend of $0.25 per share. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.92%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 13th. Global Payments’s payout ratio is 18.83%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, Director Robert H. B. Baldwin, Jr. bought 5,800 shares of Global Payments stock in a transaction on Friday, December 13th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $116.00 per share, with a total value of $672,800.00. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 42,738 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,957,608. This trade represents a 15.70 % increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 0.98% of the company’s stock.

Global Payments Company Profile

Global Payments Inc provides payment technology and software solutions for card, check, and digital-based payments in the Americas, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific. It operates through two segments, Merchant Solutions and Issuer Solutions. The Merchant Solutions segment offers authorization, settlement and funding, customer support, chargeback resolution, terminal rental, sales and deployment, payment security, and consolidated billing and reporting services.