FirstService (NASDAQ:FSV) Cut to “Hold” at StockNews.com

StockNews.com downgraded shares of FirstService (NASDAQ:FSV) (TSE:FSV) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report issued on Thursday morning.

Separately, Raymond James raised their target price on shares of FirstService from $215.00 to $225.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, FirstService currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $201.67.

FirstService Stock Performance

FirstService stock opened at $166.05 on Thursday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $174.82 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $181.41. The company has a quick ratio of 1.79, a current ratio of 1.75 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09. FirstService has a twelve month low of $141.26 and a twelve month high of $197.84. The company has a market capitalization of $7.55 billion, a PE ratio of 55.91 and a beta of 1.12.

FirstService Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 7th. Investors of record on Monday, March 31st will be issued a dividend of $0.275 per share. This represents a $1.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.66%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 31st. This is an increase from FirstService’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.25. FirstService’s dividend payout ratio is currently 37.04%.

Institutional Trading of FirstService

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in FSV. Cerity Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of FirstService by 12.6% in the 3rd quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 2,330 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $425,000 after purchasing an additional 261 shares during the period. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd bought a new position in FirstService in the third quarter worth about $342,000. Bank of Montreal Can lifted its holdings in FirstService by 19.7% in the third quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 388,430 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $69,992,000 after buying an additional 63,807 shares during the period. FMR LLC boosted its position in FirstService by 25.7% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 3,357 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $613,000 after acquiring an additional 686 shares in the last quarter. Finally, BNP Paribas Financial Markets grew its holdings in shares of FirstService by 7.5% during the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 7,218 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $1,317,000 after acquiring an additional 501 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 69.35% of the company’s stock.

About FirstService

FirstService Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides residential property management and other essential property services to residential and commercial customers in the United States and Canada. It operates through two segments: FirstService Residential and FirstService Brands. The FirstService Residential segment offers services for private residential communities, such as condominiums, co-operatives, homeowner associations, master-planned communities, active adult and lifestyle communities, and various other residential developments.