Prudential (NYSE:PUK) Rating Increased to Hold at StockNews.com

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

Several other brokerages have also issued reports on PUK. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered Prudential from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, August 5th. BNP Paribas upgraded Prudential from a neutral rating to an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 26th.

Prudential Stock Performance

Prudential stock opened at $17.27 on Wednesday. Prudential has a one year low of $15.96 and a one year high of $26.18. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $17.81 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $18.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23, a quick ratio of 0.03 and a current ratio of 0.04.

Prudential Cuts Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a Semi-Annual dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 23rd. Investors of record on Friday, September 6th will be issued a dividend of $0.1368 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 6th.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Prudential

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. boosted its holdings in shares of Prudential by 43.6% during the 2nd quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 8,254 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $151,000 after acquiring an additional 2,507 shares in the last quarter. Creative Planning boosted its holdings in shares of Prudential by 96.8% during the 2nd quarter. Creative Planning now owns 70,751 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $1,296,000 after acquiring an additional 34,799 shares in the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Prudential during the 2nd quarter valued at $364,000. Marshall Wace LLP boosted its holdings in shares of Prudential by 13.5% during the 2nd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 1,076,579 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $19,723,000 after acquiring an additional 128,124 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can boosted its holdings in shares of Prudential by 15.0% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 795,969 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $15,418,000 after acquiring an additional 103,625 shares in the last quarter. 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.