BLI Banque de Luxembourg Investments has boosted its stake in Moody’s Corporation (NYSE: MCO) by 6.4% during the second quarter of 2023, as reported in its latest Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund now holds 53,080 shares of the business services provider, having acquired an additional 3,180 shares during this period. As of the most recent filing, the total value of BLI’s holdings in Moody’s amounts to approximately $25.90 million.
Several other institutional investors have also adjusted their positions in Moody’s. Johnson Financial Group Inc. established a new stake valued at $28,000 in the second quarter, while the Saudi Central Bank acquired shares worth $30,000 in the first quarter. ORG Partners LLC increased its holdings by 50% during the second quarter, bringing its total to 66 shares valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 22 shares. Similarly, Central Pacific Bank Trust Division raised its holdings by 42.9% during the same quarter, now owning 80 shares worth $40,000 after acquiring 24 shares. Maryland Capital Advisors Inc. also made a new investment in Moody’s, valued at approximately $47,000. Overall, institutional investors now own 92.11% of Moody’s stock.
Moody’s Stock Performance and Dividend Announcement
On Friday, Moody’s shares opened at $490.85. Over the past year, the stock has fluctuated between a low of $378.71 and a high of $531.93. The company reports a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.70, with a current ratio and quick ratio both at 1.84. The stock’s market capitalization is currently valued at $87.57 billion, with a price-to-earnings (PE) ratio of 39.46 and a price-to-earnings growth (PEG) ratio of 2.79.
In addition, Moody’s has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.94 per share, set to be paid on December 12, 2023. This dividend represents an annualized payout of $3.76 and yields 0.8%. The ex-dividend date is established as November 21, 2023, with the dividend payout ratio reported at 30.23%.
Insider Trading and Analyst Ratings
In recent insider transactions, CEO Robert Fauber sold 1,167 shares of Moody’s stock on November 3, 2023, at an average price of $478.95, totaling approximately $558,934.65. Following this transaction, Fauber holds 61,082 shares, valued at around $29.26 million, which reflects a 1.87% decrease in his position. In total, insiders have sold 2,569 shares worth about $1.25 million in the last three months, with corporate insiders owning 0.14% of the stock.
Moody’s has also attracted attention from Wall Street analysts, who have recently issued a variety of ratings. Wall Street Zen downgraded Moody’s from a “buy” to a “hold” rating. Stifel Nicolaus revised its price target from $526.00 to $471.00, maintaining a “hold” rating. Conversely, Raymond James Financial upgraded its rating from “underperform” to “market perform.” Morgan Stanley set a target price of $520.00, while Mizuho raised its price target from $539.00 to $550.00, assigning a “neutral” rating. Overall, one analyst has given Moody’s a “Strong Buy” rating, while twelve have given a “Buy” rating and six have issued a “Hold” rating, leading to a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $543.07, according to MarketBeat data.
Moody’s Corporation operates globally as an integrated risk assessment firm, divided into two main segments: Moody’s Analytics and Moody’s Investors Services. The Moody’s Analytics segment develops products and services that aid institutional participants in financial markets with their risk management activities.
