CPI Card Group Inc. (NASDAQ:PMTS) Given Consensus Rating of "Moderate Buy" by Analysts

Key Points

• Analysts give CPI Card Group a “Moderate Buy” consensus: Four of six analysts rate the stock a buy, while two recommend holding it. The average 12-month price target is $27.50, above the reported $20.58 share price.
• Recent earnings exceeded expectations: CPI Card Group reported quarterly EPS of $0.38 versus the $0.32 consensus estimate and revenue of $147.11 million, ahead of forecasts for $134.69 million.
• Insider activity was mixed, with a chairman purchasing 6,500 shares while another insider sold 4,870 shares. Institutional ownership stands at 22.08%, and the stock has risen from a 12-month low of $10.81 to a high of $21.58.

Shares of CPI Card Group Inc. (NASDAQ:PMTS - Get Free Report) have been assigned a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" from the six research firms that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price objective among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $27.50.

PMTS has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Zacks Research downgraded CPI Card Group from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, July 6th. Roth Capital reissued a "buy" rating and set a $25.00 price target on shares of CPI Card Group in a research report on Tuesday, May 5th. DA Davidson reissued a "buy" rating and set a $30.00 price target on shares of CPI Card Group in a research report on Tuesday, July 7th. Wall Street Zen upgraded CPI Card Group from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, July 25th. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised CPI Card Group from a "sell (d+)" rating to a "hold (c-)" rating in a research report on Monday, June 1st.

Insider Buying and Selling at CPI Card Group

In other news, insider Donna Abbey Carmignani sold 4,870 shares of CPI Card Group stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $15.32, for a total value of $74,608.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 5,478 shares of the company's stock, valued at $83,922.96. This trade represents a 47.06% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, Chairman H Sanford Riley acquired 6,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 19th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $16.00 per share, for a total transaction of $104,000.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the chairman directly owned 259,938 shares in the company, valued at $4,159,008. The trade was a 2.56% increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. 5.80% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On CPI Card Group

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Pacific Ridge Capital Partners LLC grew its holdings in CPI Card Group by 13.1% during the fourth quarter. Pacific Ridge Capital Partners LLC now owns 442,464 shares of the company's stock worth $6,495,000 after purchasing an additional 51,139 shares during the period. Creek Drive Management Group LLC bought a new stake in CPI Card Group in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $440,000. Potomac Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in CPI Card Group in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $337,000. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. bought a new stake in CPI Card Group in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $155,000. Finally, Jane Street Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of CPI Card Group in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $150,000. 22.08% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

CPI Card Group Trading Down 1.4%

Shares of PMTS opened at $20.58 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $236.26 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.18 and a beta of 1.03. CPI Card Group has a 12 month low of $10.81 and a 12 month high of $21.58. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $18.89 and a 200 day simple moving average of $16.18.

CPI Card Group (NASDAQ:PMTS - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 5th. The company reported $0.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.32 by $0.06. CPI Card Group had a net margin of 2.15% and a negative return on equity of 92.16%. The firm had revenue of $147.11 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $134.69 million. As a group, research analysts predict that CPI Card Group will post 2.52 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

CPI Card Group Company Profile

CPI Card Group, Inc NASDAQ: PMTS is a leading provider of payment, identification and related credential solutions for financial institutions, governments and private enterprises. The company specializes in the design, manufacturing and personalization of secure plastic and metal cards, including EMV chip, magnetic-stripe and contactless cards. CPI Card Group also offers digital credentialing services and cloud-based card management tools that enable real-time controls, mobile wallet integration, fraud monitoring and analytics.

With a focus on security and innovation, CPI Card Group integrates advanced features such as holograms, microprinting, RFID/NFC technology and laser-engraved artwork into its card products.

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