Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) Shares Acquired by Metis Global Partners LLC

Metis Global Partners LLC increased its holdings in Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) by 5.4% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 14,958 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after buying an additional 768 shares during the period. Metis Global Partners LLC’s holdings in Discover Financial Services were worth $2,591,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. National Pension Service increased its holdings in shares of Discover Financial Services by 14.8% in the 3rd quarter. National Pension Service now owns 439,756 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $61,693,000 after acquiring an additional 56,814 shares during the period. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Discover Financial Services by 10.5% in the 3rd quarter. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 115,487 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $16,202,000 after acquiring an additional 10,946 shares during the period. Brookstone Capital Management acquired a new position in shares of Discover Financial Services in the 4th quarter valued at $282,000. Meyer Handelman Co. acquired a new position in shares of Discover Financial Services in the 4th quarter valued at $239,000. Finally, Janney Montgomery Scott LLC acquired a new position in shares of Discover Financial Services in the 3rd quarter valued at $2,415,000. 86.94% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on shares of Discover Financial Services from $185.00 to $214.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on shares of Discover Financial Services from $146.00 to $169.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on shares of Discover Financial Services from $233.00 to $262.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, January 27th. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Discover Financial Services from $186.00 to $209.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered shares of Discover Financial Services from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $191.91.

Discover Financial Services Stock Performance

NYSE:DFS opened at $195.38 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.03, a current ratio of 1.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09. Discover Financial Services has a fifty-two week low of $118.74 and a fifty-two week high of $205.76. The stock has a market cap of $49.16 billion, a PE ratio of 12.24, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 1.46. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $188.81 and its 200-day simple moving average is $165.52.

Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 22nd. The financial services provider reported $5.11 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.13 by $1.98. Discover Financial Services had a net margin of 17.29% and a return on equity of 26.18%. Analysts expect that Discover Financial Services will post 13.88 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Discover Financial Services Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 6th. Investors of record on Friday, May 23rd will be paid a $0.70 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 23rd. This represents a $2.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.43%. Discover Financial Services’s payout ratio is 17.54%.

Discover Financial Services Company Profile

Discover Financial Services, through its subsidiaries, provides digital banking products and services, and payment services in the United States. It operates in two segments, Digital Banking and Payment Services. The Digital Banking segment offers Discover-branded credit cards to individuals; personal loans, home loans, and other consumer lending; and direct-to-consumer deposit products comprising savings accounts, certificates of deposit, money market accounts, IRA certificates of deposit, IRA savings accounts and checking accounts, and sweep accounts.