Amedisys (NASDAQ:AMED) Sees Large Volume Increase - Here's Why

Shares of Amedisys, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMED - Get Free Report) saw strong trading volume on Tuesday . 716,834 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 70% from the previous session's volume of 421,871 shares.The stock last traded at $96.71 and had previously closed at $98.39.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have recently commented on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an "outperform" rating and set a $100.00 price target on shares of Amedisys in a research note on Wednesday, April 16th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Amedisys from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday, May 24th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Amedisys currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $100.75.

Amedisys Stock Up 0.2%

The firm's 50 day moving average price is $95.58 and its 200-day moving average price is $92.91. The company has a current ratio of 1.29, a quick ratio of 1.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27. The company has a market cap of $3.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 35.48, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 0.94.

Amedisys (NASDAQ:AMED - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 23rd. The health services provider reported $1.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.13 by $0.12. Amedisys had a net margin of 3.79% and a return on equity of 12.52%. The firm had revenue of $594.78 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $597.43 million. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.03 earnings per share. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 4.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Amedisys, Inc. will post 4.4 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Amedisys

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in AMED. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC boosted its holdings in Amedisys by 108.1% during the first quarter. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC now owns 310 shares of the health services provider's stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 161 shares during the last quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB boosted its stake in Amedisys by 56.1% during the 1st quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 334 shares of the health services provider's stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 120 shares during the last quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp grew its holdings in Amedisys by 68.1% during the first quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 348 shares of the health services provider's stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 141 shares during the period. UMB Bank n.a. grew its holdings in Amedisys by 100.0% during the first quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 386 shares of the health services provider's stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 193 shares during the period. Finally, Johnson Financial Group Inc. bought a new stake in Amedisys in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $55,000. Institutional investors own 94.36% of the company's stock.

About Amedisys

Amedisys, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides healthcare services in the United States. It operates through three segments: Home Health, Hospice, and High Acuity Care. The Home Health segment offers a range of services in the homes of individuals for the recovery of patients from surgery, chronic disability, or terminal illness, as well as prevents avoidable hospital readmissions through its skilled nurses; nursing services, rehabilitation therapists specialized in physical, speech, and occupational therapy; and social workers and aides for assisting its patients.