Benchmark Upgrades Compass (NYSE:COMP) to "Strong-Buy"

Key Points

• Benchmark upgraded Compass (NYSE:COMP) to a "strong-buy", though consensus analyst coverage remains a Moderate Buy with an average price target of $13.67.
• Shares opened at $7.61 on Wednesday (down ~4%), trading well below the 12‑month high of $13.95; Compass reported a quarterly EPS loss of $0.07 (missed estimates) and continues to show negative net margin and profitability metrics.
• CFO Scott R. Wahlers sold 99,986 shares at an average price of $12.03 (a 28.56% reduction in his position), and corporate insiders now own about 4.08% of the stock.

Compass (NYSE:COMP - Get Free Report) was upgraded by Benchmark to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report issued on Wednesday,Zacks.com reports.

COMP has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Wall Street Zen downgraded Compass from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. UBS Group reissued a "buy" rating and set a $17.00 price objective on shares of Compass in a report on Monday, February 9th. Barclays upped their target price on shares of Compass from $13.00 to $15.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Compass Point set a $15.00 price target on shares of Compass in a research report on Monday, January 26th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. assumed coverage on shares of Compass in a research note on Monday, January 26th. They set an "overweight" rating and a $15.00 price target for the company. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have issued a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $13.67.

Compass Stock Down 4.0%

Shares of NYSE COMP opened at $7.61 on Wednesday. Compass has a 12-month low of $5.66 and a 12-month high of $13.95. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $10.49 and its 200 day simple moving average is $9.78. The company has a market cap of $5.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -76.04 and a beta of 2.57.

Compass (NYSE:COMP - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 26th. The company reported ($0.07) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.06) by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $1.70 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.69 billion. Compass had a negative return on equity of 7.99% and a negative net margin of 0.84%. On average, equities analysts expect that Compass will post 0.09 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Compass

In related news, CFO Scott R. Wahlers sold 99,986 shares of Compass stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $12.03, for a total transaction of $1,202,831.58. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 250,073 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,008,378.19. This trade represents a 28.56% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 4.08% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Compass Company Profile

Compass, Inc is a technology-driven real estate brokerage firm that provides a full suite of services for home buyers, sellers and renters. Utilizing a proprietary software platform, the company equips its network of licensed real estate agents with data analytics, marketing automation and client relationship tools designed to enhance efficiency and transaction transparency.

Founded in 2012 by Ori Allon and Robert Reffkin, Compass has grown from a single office in New York City to serve more than 300 markets across the United States.

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