Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN) Shares Sold by Natixis Investment Managers International

Natixis Investment Managers International lessened its holdings in Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN) by 11.9% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,054 shares of the business services provider’s stock after selling 142 shares during the period. Natixis Investment Managers International’s holdings in Global Payments were worth $141,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Global Retirement Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of Global Payments by 18.8% in the 1st quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 524 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $70,000 after buying an additional 83 shares during the period. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. raised its holdings in shares of Global Payments by 1.9% in the 1st quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 4,752 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $635,000 after buying an additional 90 shares during the period. Fulton Bank N.A. increased its holdings in Global Payments by 1.7% during the 4th quarter. Fulton Bank N.A. now owns 5,409 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $687,000 after purchasing an additional 93 shares during the period. Fidelis Capital Partners LLC increased its holdings in Global Payments by 5.1% during the 1st quarter. Fidelis Capital Partners LLC now owns 1,930 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $258,000 after purchasing an additional 93 shares during the period. Finally, CENTRAL TRUST Co increased its holdings in Global Payments by 30.9% during the 1st quarter. CENTRAL TRUST Co now owns 453 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $61,000 after purchasing an additional 107 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.76% of the company’s stock.

Global Payments Stock Performance

Shares of GPN stock traded up $0.36 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $98.74. 1,331,907 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,314,021. The company has a market cap of $25.20 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.59, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 0.98. The company’s 50 day moving average is $98.52 and its two-hundred day moving average is $117.79. Global Payments Inc. has a 1 year low of $91.60 and a 1 year high of $141.77. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, a current ratio of 0.92 and a quick ratio of 0.92.

Global Payments (NYSE:GPN) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, May 1st. The business services provider reported $2.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.41 by $0.07. Global Payments had a return on equity of 11.72% and a net margin of 13.40%. The business had revenue of $2.18 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.17 billion. Equities research analysts anticipate that Global Payments Inc. will post 11.09 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Global Payments Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 28th. Investors of record on Friday, June 14th were paid a $0.25 dividend. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.01%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, June 14th. Global Payments’s payout ratio is currently 19.84%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on GPN shares. TD Cowen cut their price target on Global Payments from $152.00 to $125.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, June 21st. Evercore ISI cut their price target on Global Payments from $170.00 to $160.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, June 25th. Mizuho cut their price target on Global Payments from $129.00 to $105.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, May 15th. StockNews.com downgraded Global Payments from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, June 10th. Finally, Robert W. Baird cut their price target on Global Payments from $182.00 to $150.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, May 2nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and twenty-one have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Global Payments currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $145.32.

Insider Activity at Global Payments

In related news, VP Andrea M. Carter sold 3,300 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $111.34, for a total value of $367,422.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 25,209 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,806,770.06. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.98% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

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.