QuinStreet, Inc. (NASDAQ:QNST) Stock Now Rated "Buy" by Sell-Side Brokerages

Key Points

• Analysts rate QuinStreet “Buy” overall: Four analysts have buy ratings, one has a hold, and one has a strong-buy rating. The average 12-month price target is $23.50.
• Quarterly results exceeded expectations: QuinStreet reported adjusted EPS of $0.50 versus the $0.44 consensus estimate and revenue of $373.88 million, above expectations of $359.95 million.
• Insiders have recently sold shares, while institutional ownership remains high: Executives sold roughly $17.0 million of stock over 90 days, whereas institutional investors own 97.83% of the company.

QuinStreet, Inc. (NASDAQ:QNST - Get Free Report) has been given an average rating of "Buy" by the six analysts that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, four have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1 year price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $23.50.

A number of analysts have issued reports on the stock. B. Riley Financial reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of QuinStreet in a report on Friday, August 7th. Weiss Ratings upgraded QuinStreet from a "hold (c-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research report on Thursday, August 27th. Lake Street Capital raised QuinStreet from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $21.00 target price on the stock in a report on Friday, August 7th. Northland Securities set a $23.00 target price on QuinStreet in a research report on Thursday, September 17th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded QuinStreet from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Saturday, August 29th.

Insider Transactions at QuinStreet

In related news, CEO Douglas Valenti sold 751,631 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Friday, August 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $20.50, for a total value of $15,408,435.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 996,278 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $20,423,699. This trade represents a 43.00% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, CFO Gregory Wong sold 11,704 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $20.44, for a total transaction of $239,229.76. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 481,786 shares in the company, valued at $9,847,705.84. This represents a 2.37% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 829,631 shares of company stock valued at $16,999,952 in the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 3.50% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On QuinStreet

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Heartland Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of QuinStreet in the 1st quarter worth about $6,005,000. Pacer Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of QuinStreet by 39.6% in the 4th quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 284,833 shares of the technology company's stock valued at $4,093,000 after acquiring an additional 80,862 shares during the last quarter. Summit Global Investments bought a new position in shares of QuinStreet in the 2nd quarter valued at about $868,000. OP Asset Management Ltd purchased a new position in QuinStreet in the first quarter worth about $1,779,000. Finally, Algert Global LLC grew its position in QuinStreet by 96.9% in the second quarter. Algert Global LLC now owns 500,476 shares of the technology company's stock worth $7,332,000 after acquiring an additional 246,356 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 97.83% of the company's stock.

QuinStreet Trading Up 3.9%

QNST stock opened at $15.01 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a current ratio of 1.22 and a quick ratio of 1.22. QuinStreet has a 1-year low of $10.28 and a 1-year high of $22.29. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $17.88 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $14.83. The company has a market capitalization of $858.87 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.65 and a beta of 0.70.

QuinStreet (NASDAQ:QNST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 6th. The technology company reported $0.50 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.44 by $0.06. QuinStreet had a net margin of 6.28% and a return on equity of 12.73%. The firm had revenue of $373.88 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $359.95 million. Research analysts anticipate that QuinStreet will post 1.06 EPS for the current fiscal year.

QuinStreet Company Profile

QuinStreet, Inc is a performance marketing and online marketplace company that connects consumers with brands and service providers. The company uses digital media, data, and technology to help businesses acquire customers through channels such as search, content, comparison websites, and its network of publishing partners.

QuinStreet operates in several high-value categories, including insurance, home services, financial services, and business-to-business services. Its products and platforms are designed to help consumers research and compare products or services while enabling advertisers to receive qualified leads, calls, and customer opportunities.

Founded in 1999, QuinStreet is headquartered in Foster City, California, and primarily serves the United States market.

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