Rollins (NYSE:ROL) Upgraded at StockNews.com

Rollins (NYSE:ROL) was upgraded by analysts at StockNews.com from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday.

Other equities research analysts have also issued reports about the company. UBS Group restated a “neutral” rating and set a $49.00 price target on shares of Rollins in a research note on Monday. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $52.00 target price on shares of Rollins in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on Rollins in a research note on Tuesday, January 2nd. They issued a “buy” rating and a $49.00 target price for the company. Finally, Morgan Stanley started coverage on Rollins in a research note on Thursday, December 21st. They issued an “equal weight” rating and a $42.00 target price for the company. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $46.83.

Rollins Trading Down 0.7 %

NYSE:ROL traded down $0.30 on Wednesday, hitting $43.01. 1,423,294 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,894,626. The stock has a market cap of $20.84 billion, a PE ratio of 48.88, a PEG ratio of 3.42 and a beta of 0.63. The company has a current ratio of 0.71, a quick ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $44.53 and a 200-day moving average of $41.82. Rollins has a fifty-two week low of $32.19 and a fifty-two week high of $47.45.

Rollins (NYSE:ROL) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 14th. The business services provider reported $0.21 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.21. The company had revenue of $754.10 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $753.40 million. Rollins had a return on equity of 35.97% and a net margin of 14.15%. The firm’s revenue was up 14.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.17 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts expect that Rollins will post 0.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Elizabeth B. Chandler sold 10,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $41.05, for a total value of $410,500.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 99,709 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,093,054.45. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, CFO Kenneth D. Krause sold 5,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $46.18, for a total value of $230,900.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 99,078 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,575,422.04. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, insider Elizabeth B. Chandler sold 10,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $41.05, for a total value of $410,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 99,709 shares in the company, valued at $4,093,054.45. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 22,824 shares of company stock valued at $994,558. Insiders own 4.69% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Rollins

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Thrive Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Rollins during the 1st quarter valued at $231,000. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC increased its position in shares of Rollins by 25.5% during the 1st quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 92,069 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $4,260,000 after purchasing an additional 18,688 shares during the period. Annex Advisory Services LLC increased its position in shares of Rollins by 22.4% during the 1st quarter. Annex Advisory Services LLC now owns 179,282 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $8,295,000 after purchasing an additional 32,767 shares during the period. Gateway Investment Advisers LLC acquired a new position in shares of Rollins during the 1st quarter valued at $251,000. Finally, Security Financial Services INC. acquired a new position in shares of Rollins during the 1st quarter valued at $236,000. 51.79% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Rollins Company Profile

Rollins, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides pest and wildlife control services to residential and commercial customers in the United States and internationally. The company offers pest control services to residential properties protecting from common pests, including rodents, insects, and wildlife.