Molina Healthcare (NYSE:MOH) Upgraded to “Buy” at StockNews.com

StockNews.com upgraded shares of Molina Healthcare (NYSE:MOH) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report report published on Wednesday.

Several other research analysts also recently weighed in on MOH. Mizuho dropped their target price on shares of Molina Healthcare from $382.00 to $376.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $350.00 target price (down from $378.00) on shares of Molina Healthcare in a research note on Tuesday, December 17th. Barclays dropped their price target on shares of Molina Healthcare from $372.00 to $339.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 7th. Truist Financial lowered their price objective on shares of Molina Healthcare from $370.00 to $340.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 19th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upgraded Molina Healthcare from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $295.00 to $372.00 in a research report on Wednesday, March 5th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $348.75.

Molina Healthcare Trading Down 0.2 %

Shares of MOH stock opened at $322.78 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $17.66 billion, a PE ratio of 15.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 0.56. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 1.62 and a current ratio of 1.62. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $302.98 and a two-hundred day moving average of $309.17. Molina Healthcare has a 1 year low of $262.32 and a 1 year high of $409.07.

Molina Healthcare (NYSE:MOH) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 5th. The company reported $5.05 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $5.74 by ($0.69). Molina Healthcare had a net margin of 2.90% and a return on equity of 28.13%. As a group, research analysts expect that Molina Healthcare will post 24.4 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Steven J. Orlando sold 1,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $301.33, for a total value of $301,330.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 17,375 shares in the company, valued at $5,235,608.75. The trade was a 5.44 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders own 1.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Molina Healthcare

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Public Sector Pension Investment Board lifted its stake in shares of Molina Healthcare by 13.5% during the third quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board now owns 2,527 shares of the company’s stock valued at $871,000 after acquiring an additional 300 shares during the period. Tributary Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Molina Healthcare by 76.1% during the 4th quarter. Tributary Capital Management LLC now owns 4,190 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,219,000 after purchasing an additional 1,811 shares during the period. Everence Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Molina Healthcare in the 4th quarter valued at about $544,000. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Molina Healthcare by 123.9% in the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 347 shares of the company’s stock valued at $100,000 after purchasing an additional 192 shares during the last quarter. Finally, SYM FINANCIAL Corp bought a new stake in shares of Molina Healthcare during the fourth quarter worth approximately $249,000. 98.50% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Molina Healthcare

Molina Healthcare, Inc provides managed healthcare services to low-income families and individuals under the Medicaid and Medicare programs and through the state insurance marketplaces. It operates in four segments: Medicaid, Medicare, Marketplace, and Other. The company served in across 19 states. The company was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Long Beach, California.