DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE:DKS) Upgraded at Williams Trading

Williams Trading upgraded shares of DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE:DKS) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report report published on Thursday morning, Benzinga reports. Williams Trading currently has $235.00 price objective on the sporting goods retailer’s stock, up from their previous price objective of $154.00.

A number of other analysts have also recently weighed in on DKS. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on DICK’S Sporting Goods from $175.00 to $210.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Friday. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on DICK’S Sporting Goods from $160.00 to $235.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Friday. Citigroup raised their target price on DICK’S Sporting Goods from $112.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 22nd. Telsey Advisory Group raised their target price on DICK’S Sporting Goods from $160.00 to $195.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, March 11th. Finally, Evercore ISI raised their target price on DICK’S Sporting Goods from $200.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $196.95.

DICK’S Sporting Goods Stock Up 0.7 %

NYSE DKS traded up $1.56 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $213.04. 1,382,984 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,228,734. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57, a current ratio of 1.78 and a quick ratio of 0.56. The company has a market cap of $17.41 billion, a PE ratio of 17.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.20 and a beta of 1.55. DICK’S Sporting Goods has a 52 week low of $100.98 and a 52 week high of $222.92. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $163.78 and its 200-day simple moving average is $135.67.

DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE:DKS) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 14th. The sporting goods retailer reported $3.85 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.35 by $0.50. The firm had revenue of $3.88 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.79 billion. DICK’S Sporting Goods had a return on equity of 42.99% and a net margin of 8.06%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 7.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.93 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that DICK’S Sporting Goods will post 13.07 earnings per share for the current year.

DICK’S Sporting Goods Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 12th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 29th will be paid a dividend of $1.10 per share. This represents a $4.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.07%. This is an increase from DICK’S Sporting Goods’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.00. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 27th. DICK’S Sporting Goods’s dividend payout ratio is presently 32.84%.

Institutional Trading of DICK’S Sporting Goods

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in DKS. Victory Capital Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of DICK’S Sporting Goods by 9,735.6% in the 3rd quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,239,273 shares of the sporting goods retailer’s stock valued at $243,140,000 after purchasing an additional 2,216,506 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in DICK’S Sporting Goods during the 4th quarter worth about $108,908,000. BlackRock Inc. raised its position in DICK’S Sporting Goods by 12.1% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 5,983,808 shares of the sporting goods retailer’s stock valued at $849,043,000 after purchasing an additional 644,609 shares in the last quarter. Barclays PLC raised its position in DICK’S Sporting Goods by 169.4% in the 2nd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 238,774 shares of the sporting goods retailer’s stock valued at $31,564,000 after purchasing an additional 583,069 shares in the last quarter. Finally, AQR Capital Management LLC raised its position in DICK’S Sporting Goods by 145.0% in the 3rd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 789,482 shares of the sporting goods retailer’s stock valued at $85,722,000 after purchasing an additional 467,243 shares in the last quarter. 68.21% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About DICK’S Sporting Goods

DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a sporting goods retailer primarily in the United States. The company provides hardlines, includes sporting goods equipment, fitness equipment, golf equipment, and hunting and fishing gear products; apparel; and footwear and accessories.