Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE:FI) Shares Acquired by Daiwa Securities Group Inc.

Daiwa Securities Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE:FI) by 3.8% in the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 88,622 shares of the business services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 3,210 shares during the quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc.’s holdings in Fiserv were worth $18,205,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Marshall Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Fiserv in the fourth quarter worth approximately $29,000. Valley National Advisers Inc. acquired a new position in Fiserv in the fourth quarter worth approximately $29,000. Compass Financial Services Inc acquired a new position in Fiserv in the fourth quarter worth approximately $31,000. Kennebec Savings Bank acquired a new position in Fiserv in the third quarter worth approximately $40,000. Finally, Roxbury Financial LLC acquired a new position in Fiserv in the fourth quarter worth approximately $50,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.98% of the company’s stock.

Insider Transactions at Fiserv

In other news, COO Guy Chiarello sold 45,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $235.55, for a total transaction of $10,599,750.00. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 227,711 shares in the company, valued at approximately $53,637,326.05. The trade was a 16.50 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.75% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have issued reports on FI. Compass Point began coverage on shares of Fiserv in a research report on Wednesday, November 20th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $278.00 price target on the stock. Oppenheimer lifted their price target on shares of Fiserv from $214.00 to $239.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 19th. Seaport Res Ptn upgraded shares of Fiserv from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 14th. StockNews.com cut shares of Fiserv from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 25th. Finally, Susquehanna lifted their price objective on shares of Fiserv from $230.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “positive” rating in a research report on Monday, February 10th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-one have assigned a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $239.83.

Fiserv Stock Down 1.5 %

Fiserv stock opened at $214.76 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $120.54 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.84, a P/E/G ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 1.07. Fiserv, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $145.98 and a fifty-two week high of $238.59. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $218.48 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $203.69.

Fiserv (NYSE:FI) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The business services provider reported $2.51 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.48 by $0.03. Fiserv had a net margin of 15.31% and a return on equity of 17.93%. As a group, analysts forecast that Fiserv, Inc. will post 10.23 earnings per share for the current year.

Fiserv announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock buyback program on Thursday, February 20th that permits the company to buyback 60,000,000 outstanding shares. This buyback authorization permits the business services provider to purchase shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are usually a sign that the company’s management believes its shares are undervalued.

About Fiserv

Fiserv, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides payments and financial services technology services in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Latin America, the Asia-Pacific, and internationally. It operates through Merchant Acceptance, Financial Technology, and Payments and Network segments.