First Advantage Co. (NYSE:FA) Stock Has Consensus Target Price of $25.00 According to Analysts

Key Points

• Analyst sentiment is mixed: First Advantage has a consensus “Hold” rating, with four of seven analysts recommending hold and three recommending buy. The average one-year price target is $25.
• The company reported quarterly EPS of $0.38, beating the $0.34 consensus estimate, while revenue rose 13.8% year over year.
• Shares were reported down 8.2%; they opened at $21.58, compared with a 52-week range of $8.82 to $25.15.

Shares of First Advantage Co. (NYSE:FA - Get Free Report) have earned an average rating of "Hold" from the seven research firms that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and three have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price target among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $25.00.

FA has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Zacks Research cut First Advantage from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, October 6th. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price target on shares of First Advantage from $21.00 to $24.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a research report on Friday, August 7th. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of First Advantage from $22.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Tuesday. Needham & Company LLC lifted their price target on shares of First Advantage from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, November 6th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a "hold" rating and issued a $26.00 price target on shares of First Advantage in a report on Friday.

First Advantage Trading Down 8.2%

Shares of First Advantage stock opened at $21.58 on Wednesday. First Advantage has a fifty-two week low of $8.82 and a fifty-two week high of $25.15. The firm has a market cap of $3.71 billion, a PE ratio of 719.33 and a beta of 1.12. The business's fifty day moving average is $20.36 and its two-hundred day moving average is $16.63. The company has a quick ratio of 3.85, a current ratio of 3.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61.

First Advantage (NYSE:FA - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 5th. The company reported $0.38 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.34 by $0.04. First Advantage had a return on equity of 13.16% and a net margin of 0.65%. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 13.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.30 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that First Advantage will post 0.74 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. KBC Group NV purchased a new stake in First Advantage during the first quarter valued at about $35,000. Versant Capital Management Inc raised its holdings in shares of First Advantage by 47.1% in the 2nd quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 2,445 shares of the company's stock worth $44,000 after purchasing an additional 783 shares during the period. Fifth Third Bancorp acquired a new position in shares of First Advantage in the 1st quarter valued at about $45,000. Sterling Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of First Advantage by 323.6% in the 3rd quarter. Sterling Capital Management LLC now owns 2,694 shares of the company's stock valued at $48,000 after purchasing an additional 2,058 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State of Wyoming purchased a new stake in shares of First Advantage during the 2nd quarter worth about $81,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.91% of the company's stock.

First Advantage Company Profile

First Advantage provides technology-enabled background screening and verification services to employers and other organizations. Its offerings include criminal-record searches, employment and education verification, identity checks, drug and health screening, and related compliance services used in hiring and workforce management. The company serves customers across North America and international markets, including businesses that need screening processes across multiple locations. Its services are designed to help organizations assess candidates and manage workplace-related risks.

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