Analysts Set Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN) Price Target at $138.55

Shares of Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN) have earned an average recommendation of “Hold” from the twenty-six ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have issued a hold rating and thirteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $135.71.

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group cut their price objective on shares of Global Payments from $130.00 to $120.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 16th. Sanford C. Bernstein lowered shares of Global Payments from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and lowered their price target for the company from $135.00 to $112.00 in a report on Tuesday, October 22nd. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on shares of Global Payments from $156.00 to $166.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 18th. Susquehanna reiterated a “positive” rating and set a $147.00 price target on shares of Global Payments in a report on Tuesday, September 17th. Finally, Stephens lowered shares of Global Payments from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and lowered their price target for the company from $125.00 to $120.00 in a report on Friday.

Global Payments Price Performance

Shares of Global Payments stock opened at $105.89 on Friday. Global Payments has a 52-week low of $91.60 and a 52-week high of $141.77. The stock has a market capitalization of $26.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.88 and a beta of 1.00. The company has a fifty day moving average of $114.19 and a 200-day moving average of $106.71. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a current ratio of 0.93.

Global Payments Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 27th. Investors of record on Friday, December 13th were given a dividend of $0.25 per share. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.94%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 13th. Global Payments’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 18.83%.

Insider Activity at Global Payments

In other news, Director Robert H. B. Baldwin, Jr. acquired 5,800 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 13th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $116.00 per share, with a total value of $672,800.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 42,738 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,957,608. This trade represents a 15.70 % increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 0.98% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Global Payments

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of GPN. Cromwell Holdings LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Global Payments during the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. Beaird Harris Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Global Payments during the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. Capital Performance Advisors LLP purchased a new stake in shares of Global Payments during the 3rd quarter valued at about $33,000. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Global Payments by 59.6% during the 3rd quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. now owns 383 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $39,000 after acquiring an additional 143 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Quarry LP boosted its holdings in shares of Global Payments by 134.4% during the 2nd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 511 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $49,000 after acquiring an additional 293 shares during the last quarter. 89.76% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Global Payments

Global Payments Inc provides payment technology and software solutions for card, check, and digital-based payments in the Americas, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific. It operates through two segments, Merchant Solutions and Issuer Solutions. The Merchant Solutions segment offers authorization, settlement and funding, customer support, chargeback resolution, terminal rental, sales and deployment, payment security, and consolidated billing and reporting services.