MRA Advisory Group Sells 618 Shares of Synchrony Financial (NYSE:SYF)

MRA Advisory Group lessened its position in shares of Synchrony Financial (NYSE:SYF) by 13.4% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 3,995 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 618 shares during the period. MRA Advisory Group’s holdings in Synchrony Financial were worth $260,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Friedenthal Financial bought a new stake in Synchrony Financial during the fourth quarter worth $833,000. Wedmont Private Capital lifted its position in shares of Synchrony Financial by 2.6% during the 4th quarter. Wedmont Private Capital now owns 7,700 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $491,000 after buying an additional 192 shares during the last quarter. Czech National Bank lifted its position in shares of Synchrony Financial by 4.9% during the 4th quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 84,418 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $5,487,000 after buying an additional 3,907 shares during the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC boosted its stake in Synchrony Financial by 1.1% in the fourth quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 20,208 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $1,314,000 after buying an additional 213 shares in the last quarter. Finally, CWA Asset Management Group LLC raised its stake in Synchrony Financial by 28.8% during the fourth quarter. CWA Asset Management Group LLC now owns 63,672 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $4,139,000 after acquiring an additional 14,255 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.48% of the company’s stock.

Synchrony Financial Price Performance

Synchrony Financial stock opened at $64.88 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $25.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.47, a PEG ratio of 0.82 and a beta of 1.64. Synchrony Financial has a 52-week low of $35.29 and a 52-week high of $69.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 1.25 and a current ratio of 1.25. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $65.92 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $55.52.

Synchrony Financial (NYSE:SYF) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, October 16th. The financial services provider reported $1.94 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.77 by $0.17. Synchrony Financial had a net margin of 13.98% and a return on equity of 16.64%. The business had revenue of $3.81 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.76 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.48 earnings per share. Synchrony Financial’s revenue was up 9.8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts predict that Synchrony Financial will post 6.51 earnings per share for the current year.

Synchrony Financial Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 15th. Investors of record on Monday, November 4th were paid a dividend of $0.25 per share. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.54%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 4th. Synchrony Financial’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 13.05%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Curtis Howse sold 21,934 shares of Synchrony Financial stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $55.13, for a total transaction of $1,209,221.42. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 99,743 shares in the company, valued at $5,498,831.59. This trade represents a 18.03 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Jonathan S. Mothner sold 34,163 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $64.99, for a total transaction of $2,220,253.37. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 127,587 shares in the company, valued at $8,291,879.13. This represents a 21.12 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.33% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on SYF shares. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price target on shares of Synchrony Financial from $55.00 to $62.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a report on Thursday, October 17th. Compass Point upped their price target on shares of Synchrony Financial from $60.00 to $77.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, December 10th. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded Synchrony Financial from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and increased their price target for the company from $60.00 to $85.00 in a research note on Tuesday, December 3rd. UBS Group boosted their price objective on Synchrony Financial from $58.00 to $66.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Synchrony Financial from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and increased their target price for the company from $59.00 to $72.00 in a research report on Monday, December 9th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seventeen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $65.45.

About Synchrony Financial

Synchrony Financial, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a consumer financial services company in the United States. It provides credit products, such as credit cards, commercial credit products, and consumer installment loans. The company also offers private label credit cards, dual co-brand and general purpose credit cards, short- and long-term installment loans, and consumer banking products; and deposit products, including certificates of deposit, individual retirement accounts, money market accounts, and savings accounts, and sweep and affinity deposits, as well as accepts deposits through third-party securities brokerage firms.