Burford Capital (NYSE:BUR) Stock Price Up 4.2% - Here's What Happened

Key Points

• Burford Capital shares rose 4.2% on Friday, trading as high as $4.36 before closing at $4.3250. Trading volume was well below normal, with about 170,199 shares changing hands versus an average of 2.9 million.
• Recent analyst action was mixed, with price target updates and rating changes from firms including Wedbush, Deutsche Bank, B. Riley, Wall Street Zen, and Weiss Ratings. Overall, the stock currently carries a Hold consensus and an average price target of $9.33.
• Burford Capital is a litigation finance firm that funds legal disputes in exchange for a share of awards or settlements. The company has a market cap of about $940.9 million, with its shares trading near their 50-day moving average and well below the 200-day average.

Shares of Burford Capital Limited (NYSE:BUR - Get Free Report) were up 4.2% on Friday . The stock traded as high as $4.36 and last traded at $4.3250. Approximately 170,199 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 94% from the average session volume of 2,900,937 shares. The stock had previously closed at $4.15.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on BUR shares. Wedbush lifted their price objective on Burford Capital from $4.75 to $5.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Monday, May 11th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Burford Capital from a "sell" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research report on Saturday, May 16th. Weiss Ratings lowered Burford Capital from a "sell (d+)" rating to a "sell (d-)" rating in a report on Monday, May 11th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut shares of Burford Capital from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $5.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Monday, May 11th. Finally, B. Riley Financial reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Burford Capital in a research note on Thursday, May 14th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Burford Capital currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $9.33.

Burford Capital Stock Performance

The business's 50-day moving average is $4.32 and its 200 day moving average is $6.34. The company has a market cap of $940.91 million, a PE ratio of -0.59, a PEG ratio of 0.05 and a beta of 1.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.59, a quick ratio of 13.72 and a current ratio of 13.72.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Burford Capital

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of BUR. Signaturefd LLC raised its holdings in shares of Burford Capital by 1,687.7% in the 4th quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 2,914 shares of the company's stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 2,751 shares in the last quarter. Strs Ohio bought a new position in shares of Burford Capital during the first quarter valued at approximately $55,000. Quadrant Capital Group LLC purchased a new position in Burford Capital during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $53,000. Insigneo Advisory Services LLC bought a new position in Burford Capital in the fourth quarter worth approximately $93,000. Finally, Equitable Holdings Inc. bought a new position in Burford Capital in the fourth quarter worth approximately $94,000.

Burford Capital Company Profile

Burford Capital NYSE: BUR is a leading global finance firm that specializes in litigation and arbitration funding, risk management, and asset recovery. The company provides capital to law firms and corporate clients to finance legal fees and associated costs in commercial disputes. In exchange for funding, Burford shares in any awards or settlements, enabling clients to pursue meritorious claims without bearing upfront legal expenses.

Founded in 2009 by Christopher Bogart, Burford was among the first firms to establish a dedicated litigation finance business.

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