Jacobs Solutions Inc. (NYSE:J) Shares Sold by Louisbourg Investments Inc.

Louisbourg Investments Inc. decreased its stake in Jacobs Solutions Inc. (NYSE:J) by 17.2% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 31,768 shares of the company’s stock after selling 6,600 shares during the period. Louisbourg Investments Inc.’s holdings in Jacobs Solutions were worth $4,245,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. First Horizon Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in Jacobs Solutions by 44.3% in the third quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 241 shares of the company’s stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 74 shares during the last quarter. Quarry LP increased its holdings in shares of Jacobs Solutions by 394.9% in the 3rd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 292 shares of the company’s stock valued at $38,000 after acquiring an additional 233 shares during the period. Capital Performance Advisors LLP purchased a new stake in Jacobs Solutions in the 3rd quarter valued at $42,000. True Wealth Design LLC purchased a new stake in Jacobs Solutions in the 3rd quarter valued at $44,000. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its stake in Jacobs Solutions by 55.8% during the 3rd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 405 shares of the company’s stock worth $53,000 after purchasing an additional 145 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.65% of the company’s stock.

Jacobs Solutions Stock Performance

NYSE:J opened at $133.21 on Wednesday. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $135.96 and its 200-day simple moving average is $140.71. The company has a quick ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 1.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. The stock has a market cap of $16.32 billion, a PE ratio of 27.47, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.88 and a beta of 0.72. Jacobs Solutions Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $110.95 and a fifty-two week high of $150.54.

Jacobs Solutions (NYSE:J) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 4th. The company reported $1.33 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.29 by $0.04. Jacobs Solutions had a net margin of 4.28% and a return on equity of 14.87%. The company had revenue of $2.93 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.92 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.45 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts expect that Jacobs Solutions Inc. will post 6.05 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Jacobs Solutions announced that its Board of Directors has approved a share buyback plan on Tuesday, February 4th that allows the company to repurchase $1.50 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the company to repurchase up to 9% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are often an indication that the company’s management believes its shares are undervalued.

Jacobs Solutions Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 21st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 21st will be given a dividend of $0.32 per share. This represents a $1.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.96%. This is an increase from Jacobs Solutions’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.29. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 21st. Jacobs Solutions’s payout ratio is presently 23.92%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have commented on J shares. Benchmark lowered shares of Jacobs Solutions from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 20th. Royal Bank of Canada restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $152.00 price target on shares of Jacobs Solutions in a research report on Tuesday, December 3rd. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $150.00 price objective on shares of Jacobs Solutions in a research report on Tuesday, December 10th. Robert W. Baird lowered their target price on Jacobs Solutions from $154.00 to $148.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 5th. Finally, Citigroup cut their price target on Jacobs Solutions from $161.00 to $160.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 29th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $155.89.

Jacobs Solutions Company Profile

Jacobs Solutions Inc provides consulting, technical, engineering, scientific, and project delivery services for the government and private sectors in the United States, Europe, Canada, India, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, and Africa. It operates through Critical Mission Solutions, People & Places Solutions, Divergent Solutions, and PA Consulting segments.