Ryanair (NASDAQ:RYAAY) Upgraded at Zacks Research

Key Points

• Zacks Research upgraded Ryanair from “strong sell” to “hold,” while the broader analyst consensus remains “Moderate Buy” with a $73.97 price target.
• Ryanair shares opened at $51.33, down 2.9%, near their 12-month low of $51.02 and below both their 50-day and 200-day moving averages.
• The airline’s latest quarterly results fell short of expectations, with EPS of $1.19 versus the $1.37 consensus estimate and revenue of $5 billion versus $5.06 billion expected.

Ryanair (NASDAQ:RYAAY - Get Free Report) was upgraded by analysts at Zacks Research from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, Zacks reports.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently commented on RYAAY. Citigroup reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Ryanair in a report on Wednesday, July 1st. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed a "strong-buy" rating and issued a $74.00 price target on shares of Ryanair in a research note on Monday, August 24th. Weiss Ratings lowered Ryanair from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a report on Friday, September 4th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a "buy" rating on shares of Ryanair in a report on Tuesday, July 14th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an "outperform" rating on shares of Ryanair in a research note on Tuesday, July 21st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $73.97.

Ryanair Trading Down 2.9%

Shares of RYAAY stock opened at $51.33 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $26.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.15, a P/E/G ratio of 4.20 and a beta of 1.19. The business's 50 day moving average is $55.34 and its two-hundred day moving average is $58.29. Ryanair has a 12-month low of $51.02 and a 12-month high of $74.24.

Ryanair (NASDAQ:RYAAY - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 17th. The transportation company reported $1.19 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.37 by ($0.18). Ryanair had a net margin of 12.14% and a return on equity of 21.23%. The business had revenue of $5 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.06 billion. On average, research analysts predict that Ryanair will post 3.87 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Ryanair

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in RYAAY. Hudson Edge Investment Partners Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Ryanair by 2.9% in the 1st quarter. Hudson Edge Investment Partners Inc. now owns 977,250 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $56,485,000 after purchasing an additional 27,700 shares during the last quarter. Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd acquired a new position in Ryanair during the first quarter worth approximately $4,190,000. Metropolis Capital Ltd increased its position in Ryanair by 10.8% during the first quarter. Metropolis Capital Ltd now owns 3,949,246 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $228,266,000 after buying an additional 385,444 shares during the period. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company lifted its stake in Ryanair by 5.7% in the second quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 755,526 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $48,920,000 after buying an additional 40,648 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Trinity Street Asset Management LLP lifted its stake in Ryanair by 3.2% in the second quarter. Trinity Street Asset Management LLP now owns 3,567,449 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $230,992,000 after buying an additional 110,700 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 43.65% of the company's stock.

About Ryanair

Ryanair Holdings plc is an Ireland-based airline group that operates low-cost, scheduled passenger services primarily across Europe. Through its operating airlines, including Ryanair DAC, Malta Air, Buzz, Lauda and Ryanair UK, the group provides point-to-point air travel connecting cities and regional airports in Europe and selected destinations in North Africa.

The company's core business is the sale of airline tickets, supported by ancillary services such as priority boarding, reserved seating, checked baggage, onboard food and beverages, travel insurance and car-hire or accommodation-related offerings.

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