National CineMedia (NASDAQ:NCMI) Trading Up 7.6% – Should You Buy?

Shares of National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ:NCMI) traded up 7.6% during trading on Friday . The company traded as high as $6.67 and last traded at $6.74. 506,716 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 0% from the average session volume of 506,602 shares. The stock had previously closed at $6.26.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Barrington Research boosted their target price on shares of National CineMedia from $7.50 to $8.25 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 6th. Benchmark reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $8.00 price objective on shares of National CineMedia in a research note on Monday, September 23rd. StockNews.com upgraded National CineMedia from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 9th. Finally, Wedbush reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $7.50 target price (up previously from $6.00) on shares of National CineMedia in a report on Monday, November 4th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, National CineMedia presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $8.06.

National CineMedia Trading Up 8.6 %

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03, a current ratio of 2.46 and a quick ratio of 2.46. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $6.75 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $6.50.

National CineMedia (NASDAQ:NCMI) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, November 5th. The business services provider reported ($0.04) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.03) by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $62.40 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $58.20 million. National CineMedia had a negative return on equity of 2.61% and a negative net margin of 9.49%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.33 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that National CineMedia, Inc. will post -0.14 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity at National CineMedia

In related news, EVP Maria Vg Woods sold 23,742 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $6.51, for a total value of $154,560.42. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 66,987 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $436,085.37. This represents a 26.17 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.33% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On National CineMedia

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of National CineMedia by 240.5% during the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 721,697 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $5,088,000 after buying an additional 509,756 shares in the last quarter. Luxor Capital Group LP raised its stake in shares of National CineMedia by 1,581.1% during the second quarter. Luxor Capital Group LP now owns 490,809 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $2,155,000 after acquiring an additional 461,614 shares in the last quarter. Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of National CineMedia by 5.6% in the 3rd quarter. Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Management LLC now owns 6,936,947 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $48,905,000 after acquiring an additional 365,360 shares during the last quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in shares of National CineMedia by 124.9% in the 3rd quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 469,338 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $3,309,000 after purchasing an additional 260,689 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new position in shares of National CineMedia during the 2nd quarter valued at $979,000. 69.49% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About National CineMedia

National CineMedia, Inc, through its subsidiary, National CineMedia, LLC, operates cinema advertising network in North America. It engages in the sale of advertising to national, regional, and local businesses in Noovie, a cinema advertising and entertainment show seen on movie screens; and sells advertising on its Lobby Entertainment Network, a series of strategically-placed screens located in movie theater lobbies, as well as other forms of advertising and promotions in theatre lobbies.