Marcus (NYSE:MCS) Upgraded at Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen upgraded Marcus from “buy” to “strong-buy.” MarketBeat reports a consensus “moderate buy” rating and an average analyst price target of $32.25.
• Marcus shares opened at $27.08, with a market capitalization of approximately $834.9 million and a 52-week range of $12.85 to $32.42.
• The company exceeded quarterly expectations, reporting $0.51 in earnings per share versus the $0.35 consensus estimate and revenue of $231.74 million versus $217.72 million expected.

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

Other research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the company. Weiss Ratings upgraded Marcus from a "hold (c)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research note on Thursday, August 13th. Zacks Research raised Marcus from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. Wedbush raised their price target on shares of Marcus from $23.00 to $34.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, July 31st. B. Riley Financial downgraded shares of Marcus from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating and increased their price objective for the company from $27.00 to $29.00 in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, Benchmark lifted their target price 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. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have given a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $32.25.

Marcus Price Performance

Shares of MCS opened at $27.08 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $834.94 million, a P/E ratio of 38.14 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a quick ratio of 0.44, a current ratio of 0.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $28.48 and a 200 day moving average of $22.90. Marcus has a twelve month low of $12.85 and a twelve month high of $32.42.

Marcus (NYSE:MCS - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $0.51 earnings per share 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 net margin of 2.87% and a return on equity of 2.67%. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Marcus will post 0.81 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Marcus news, Director Diane M. Gershowitz sold 50,000 shares of the 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 sale, the director owned 125,617 shares in the company, valued at $3,468,285.37. This trade represents a 28.47% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 16.53% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Saber Capital Managment LLC purchased a new position in Marcus during the 4th quarter worth $7,836,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp acquired a new position in Marcus during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $6,481,000. Heartland Advisors Inc. increased its stake in Marcus by 24.4% during the 1st quarter. Heartland Advisors Inc. now owns 255,000 shares of the company's stock valued at $4,378,000 after purchasing an additional 50,000 shares in the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC raised its holdings in shares of Marcus by 2.8% in the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 181,793 shares of the company's stock worth $3,121,000 after buying an additional 5,023 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Quantinno Capital Management LP raised its holdings in shares of Marcus by 8.5% in the first quarter. Quantinno Capital Management LP now owns 102,006 shares of the company's stock worth $1,751,000 after buying an additional 8,024 shares during the last quarter. 81.57% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Marcus

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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