49,976 Shares in Potbelly Co. (NASDAQ:PBPB) Bought by Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC

Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC acquired a new position in Potbelly Co. (NASDAQ:PBPB - Free Report) in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm acquired 49,976 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $471,000. Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC owned 0.17% of Potbelly at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of PBPB. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its stake in Potbelly by 122.6% during the third quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 67,053 shares of the company's stock worth $559,000 after buying an additional 36,930 shares in the last quarter. Portolan Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Potbelly by 9.3% during the 4th quarter. Portolan Capital Management LLC now owns 986,277 shares of the company's stock valued at $9,291,000 after acquiring an additional 83,748 shares in the last quarter. Sanctuary Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Potbelly during the 4th quarter valued at about $520,000. Barclays PLC lifted its stake in Potbelly by 247.8% during the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 39,780 shares of the company's stock worth $332,000 after purchasing an additional 28,342 shares during the period. Finally, Hodges Capital Management Inc. lifted its stake in Potbelly by 42.1% during the fourth quarter. Hodges Capital Management Inc. now owns 539,915 shares of the company's stock worth $5,086,000 after purchasing an additional 159,900 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 72.60% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on PBPB. Benchmark reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $16.00 target price on shares of Potbelly in a research note on Friday, March 7th. William Blair reaffirmed a "market perform" rating on shares of Potbelly in a report on Thursday, March 20th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered shares of Potbelly from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday.

Insider Transactions at Potbelly

In other news, major shareholder David Nierenberg purchased 22,169 shares of Potbelly stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 28th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $9.36 per share, with a total value of $207,501.84. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 124,167 shares in the company, valued at $1,162,203.12. This trade represents a 21.73% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Insiders own 10.20% of the company's stock.

Potbelly Trading Up 0.6%

PBPB traded up $0.06 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $10.24. 99,690 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 214,380. The company's fifty day moving average price is $8.98 and its 200-day moving average price is $10.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06, a quick ratio of 0.43 and a current ratio of 0.49. Potbelly Co. has a fifty-two week low of $6.28 and a fifty-two week high of $13.48. The firm has a market capitalization of $308.96 million, a PE ratio of 8.19 and a beta of 1.47.

Potbelly Company Profile

Potbelly Corporation, through its subsidiaries, owns, operates, and franchises Potbelly sandwich shops in the United States. The company was formerly known as Potbelly Sandwich Works, Inc and changed its name to Potbelly Corporation in 2002. Potbelly Corporation was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.