Marcus (NYSE:MCS) Stock Rating Raised to "Strong-Buy" at Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen upgraded Marcus from “buy” to “strong-buy,” while the broader analyst consensus remains “Moderate Buy” with a $32.25 price target.
• Marcus shares opened at $28.07, near their 50-day average of $28.24, after the company exceeded quarterly expectations with $0.51 in EPS versus the $0.35 consensus and revenue of $231.74 million.
• Institutional investors own 81.57% of Marcus, although director Diane M. Gershowitz recently sold 50,000 shares for approximately $1.38 million.

Marcus (NYSE:MCS - Get Free Report) was upgraded by research analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a note issued to investors on Monday, Wall Street Zen reports.

A number of other research analysts have also issued reports on MCS. Weiss Ratings upgraded Marcus from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research report on Thursday, October 8th. Wedbush boosted their price target on shares of Marcus from $23.00 to $34.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, July 31st. Zacks Research lowered shares of Marcus from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, October 2nd. B. Riley Financial cut shares of Marcus from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $27.00 to $29.00 in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, Benchmark upped their price objective on shares of Marcus from $22.00 to $33.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $32.25.

Marcus Stock Up 0.2%

NYSE:MCS opened at $28.07 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 0.44, a quick ratio of 0.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34. Marcus has a twelve month low of $12.85 and a twelve month high of $32.42. The company has a market cap of $865.55 million, a PE ratio of 39.54 and a beta of 0.58. The company's 50 day moving average is $28.24 and its two-hundred day moving average is $23.73.

Marcus (NYSE:MCS - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $0.51 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.35 by $0.16. The company had revenue of $231.74 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $217.72 million. Marcus had a return on equity of 2.67% and a net margin of 2.87%. Analysts anticipate that Marcus will post 0.80 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Marcus

In other news, Director Diane M. Gershowitz sold 50,000 shares of Marcus stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $27.61, for a total value of $1,380,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 125,617 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,468,285.37. The trade was a 28.47% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 16.53% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Marcus

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. USA Financial Formulas acquired a new position in shares of Marcus in the third quarter valued at approximately $50,000. WINTON GROUP Ltd acquired a new stake in Marcus during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $290,000. Susquehanna International Group LLP lifted its holdings in Marcus by 183.1% during the 2nd quarter. Susquehanna International Group LLP now owns 47,094 shares of the company's stock worth $1,105,000 after buying an additional 30,457 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp purchased a new position in Marcus in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $6,481,000. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE boosted its position in Marcus by 1.8% in the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 89,332 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,534,000 after buying an additional 1,556 shares during the period. 81.57% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Marcus Company Profile

Marcus Corporation NYSE: MCS is a Wisconsin-based company operating in the entertainment and lodging industries. Its business is organized primarily through Marcus Theatres and Marcus Hotels & Resorts, serving customers across selected markets in the United States.

Marcus Theatres operates movie theaters that offer first-run films, premium large-format and other enhanced viewing experiences, food and beverage services, and other entertainment amenities. The division also operates theaters under the Marcus, Movie Tavern, and BistroPlex brands.

Marcus Hotels & Resorts owns, manages, or develops hotels and resorts in various U.S.

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