BrightView (NYSE:BV) Cut to Sell at Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen downgraded BrightView from “hold” to “sell,” while the broader analyst consensus remains “hold” with an average price target of $14.10.
• BrightView’s latest quarterly results missed expectations: earnings per share came in at $0.17 versus the $0.29 consensus, while revenue totaled $717.6 million, slightly below estimates.
• Shares opened at $10.70, near the lower end of their 52-week range, although director William Cornog purchased 50,000 shares at $11.25 each; institutional investors own 92.41% of the company.

BrightView (NYSE:BV - Get Free Report) was downgraded by stock analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Saturday, Wall Street Zen reports.

A number of other analysts also recently issued reports on the company. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "sell (d+)" rating on shares of BrightView in a research note on Friday, July 31st. Zacks Research upgraded BrightView from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, October 5th. Morgan Stanley cut their target price on shares of BrightView from $14.00 to $12.50 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, August 6th. Robert W. Baird set a $14.00 price target on shares of BrightView in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. Finally, Oppenheimer started coverage on shares of BrightView in a research note on Wednesday, June 17th. They set an "outperform" rating and a $17.00 price target on the stock. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have issued a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $14.10.

BrightView Stock Up 2.2%

Shares of BV stock opened at $10.70 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $996.77 million, a P/E ratio of -42.78, a PEG ratio of 1.35 and a beta of 1.20. BrightView has a 52 week low of $9.81 and a 52 week high of $15.00. The company has a quick ratio of 1.28, a current ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $11.03 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $12.24.

BrightView (NYSE:BV - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 4th. The company reported $0.17 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.29 by ($0.12). BrightView had a net margin of 0.74% and a return on equity of 5.03%. The company had revenue of $717.60 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $726.13 million. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.30 EPS. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 1.3% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts predict that BrightView will post 0.40 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at BrightView

In related news, Director William Cornog acquired 50,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 6th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $11.25 per share, for a total transaction of $562,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 70,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $787,500. This trade represents a 250.00% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 2.80% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On BrightView

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of BV. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio purchased a new stake in BrightView during the 2nd quarter valued at $41,000. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC purchased a new position in BrightView during the first quarter worth $145,000. Mcmorgan & Co. LLC bought a new position in BrightView during the second quarter valued at $176,000. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC bought a new position in BrightView during the second quarter valued at $182,000. Finally, Amundi purchased a new stake in shares of BrightView in the first quarter valued at $234,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.41% of the company's stock.

About BrightView

BrightView Holdings, Inc is a provider of commercial landscaping services in the United States. Through its operating businesses, the company designs, develops, maintains and enhances outdoor environments for commercial properties, residential communities, sports facilities, municipalities, educational institutions and other organizations.

Its services include landscape maintenance, landscape design and development, tree care, irrigation, water management, snow and ice removal, and sports turf management.

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