PRA Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:PRAA) Position Boosted by Global Alpha Capital Management Ltd.

Key Points

• Global Alpha Capital Management Ltd. increased its holdings in PRA Group, Inc. by 6.4%, acquiring an additional 122,200 shares during the first quarter and owning approximately 5.09% of the company's stock worth $41.6 million.
• Several institutional investors also boosted their positions in PRA Group, with Sterling Capital Management increasing its stake by 805.8% in the fourth quarter.
• A recent report revealed that PRA Group reported earnings per share of $1.08, significantly above analyst expectations of $0.62, with its revenue reaching $287.69 million for the quarter.

Global Alpha Capital Management Ltd. boosted its position in PRA Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:PRAA - Free Report) by 6.4% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 2,018,200 shares of the business services provider's stock after buying an additional 122,200 shares during the period. PRA Group makes up about 3.0% of Global Alpha Capital Management Ltd.'s holdings, making the stock its 11th biggest position. Global Alpha Capital Management Ltd. owned approximately 5.09% of PRA Group worth $41,615,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Sterling Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in PRA Group by 805.8% in the 4th quarter. Sterling Capital Management LLC now owns 1,241 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 1,104 shares in the last quarter. Quarry LP increased its position in PRA Group by 154.2% in the fourth quarter. Quarry LP now owns 3,345 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $70,000 after buying an additional 2,029 shares during the period. Point72 Asset Management L.P. acquired a new position in shares of PRA Group during the fourth quarter valued at $155,000. State of Wyoming boosted its position in shares of PRA Group by 9.0% in the 4th quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 10,255 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $214,000 after purchasing an additional 850 shares during the period. Finally, Cetera Investment Advisers acquired a new stake in PRA Group during the 4th quarter worth about $227,000. 97.22% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Wall Street Zen upgraded PRA Group from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday. JMP Securities set a $24.00 price target on PRA Group and gave the stock a "market outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, August 5th. Finally, Citigroup reiterated an "outperform" rating on shares of PRA Group in a report on Tuesday, August 5th.

PRA Group Price Performance

Shares of PRA Group stock traded down $0.14 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $15.27. The company's stock had a trading volume of 251,231 shares, compared to its average volume of 336,439. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $15.28 and a 200-day moving average price of $17.63. PRA Group, Inc. has a one year low of $12.91 and a one year high of $25.43. The stock has a market cap of $596.60 million, a P/E ratio of 6.55 and a beta of 1.54.

PRA Group (NASDAQ:PRAA - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 4th. The business services provider reported $1.08 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.62 by $0.46. PRA Group had a net margin of 8.10% and a return on equity of 6.52%. The company had revenue of $287.69 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $279.34 million. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that PRA Group, Inc. will post 2.1 EPS for the current fiscal year.

About PRA Group

PRA Group, Inc, a financial and business services company, engages in the purchase, collection, and management of portfolios of nonperforming loans worldwide. It is involved in the purchase of accounts that are primarily the unpaid obligations of individuals owed to credit originators, which include banks and other types of consumer, retail, and auto finance companies.