J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. $JBHT Shares Sold by Daiwa Securities Group Inc.

Key Points

• Daiwa Securities Group Inc. cut its J.B. Hunt stake by 21.4% in the fourth quarter, selling 5,942 shares and ending with 21,866 shares valued at about $4.25 million.
• Several J.B. Hunt insiders also sold stock, including EVP Brian Webb and EVP David Keefauver, adding to a recent insider-selling trend of 18,119 shares worth $4.74 million over the past 90 days.
• The company reported solid recent results, beating quarterly EPS and revenue estimates, while analysts currently maintain a Moderate Buy consensus with an average target price of $233.83; the stock recently traded near its 52-week high.

Daiwa Securities Group Inc. trimmed its holdings in J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. (NASDAQ:JBHT - Free Report) by 21.4% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 21,866 shares of the transportation company's stock after selling 5,942 shares during the quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc.'s holdings in J.B. Hunt Transport Services were worth $4,250,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Hantz Financial Services Inc. grew its position in J.B. Hunt Transport Services by 52.8% in the 3rd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 220 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 76 shares during the last quarter. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC purchased a new position in J.B. Hunt Transport Services in the 2nd quarter valued at $31,000. Sentry Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in J.B. Hunt Transport Services in the 3rd quarter valued at $32,000. International Assets Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in J.B. Hunt Transport Services in the 4th quarter valued at $32,000. Finally, MUFG Securities EMEA plc purchased a new position in J.B. Hunt Transport Services in the 2nd quarter valued at $34,000. 74.95% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Brian Webb sold 1,500 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $284.01, for a total value of $426,015.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 15,881 shares in the company, valued at $4,510,362.81. The trade was a 8.63% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP David Keefauver sold 703 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $285.13, for a total transaction of $200,446.39. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 790 shares in the company, valued at $225,252.70. This represents a 47.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 18,119 shares of company stock worth $4,736,095. 2.50% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ JBHT opened at $288.17 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $27.17 billion, a P/E ratio of 44.61, a PEG ratio of 2.12 and a beta of 1.30. J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. has a one year low of $130.12 and a one year high of $289.95. The company's fifty day moving average is $246.78 and its two-hundred day moving average is $219.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a quick ratio of 1.26 and a current ratio of 1.26.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (NASDAQ:JBHT - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, April 15th. The transportation company reported $1.49 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.45 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $3.06 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.01 billion. J.B. Hunt Transport Services had a net margin of 5.13% and a return on equity of 17.30%. The business's revenue was up 4.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.17 EPS. Analysts forecast that J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. will post 7.27 EPS for the current fiscal year.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 22nd. Investors of record on Friday, May 8th were given a $0.45 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 8th. This represents a $1.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. J.B. Hunt Transport Services's payout ratio is currently 27.86%.

Key Headlines Impacting J.B. Hunt Transport Services

Here are the key news stories impacting J.B. Hunt Transport Services this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlighted JBHT as a strong momentum stock, which can support investor interest and buying pressure. Here's Why JB Hunt (JBHT) is a Strong Momentum Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street Zen reportedly upgraded the stock, another sign of improving sentiment around JBHT. J.B. Hunt Transport Services NASDAQ: JBHT Stock Rating Upgraded by Wall Street Zen
• Neutral Sentiment: Additional commentary compared JBHT with ArcBest on valuation, but it does not appear to be a direct catalyst on its own. ARCB or JBHT: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Another article asked whether JBHT is a good stock to buy now, which reflects ongoing market debate rather than a clear new catalyst. Is J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. (JBHT) A Good Stock To Buy Now?
• Negative Sentiment: EVP David Keefauver sold 703 shares, reducing his stake by 47.09%, which may raise some caution about insider sentiment. SEC filing for David Keefauver transaction
• Negative Sentiment: EVP Brian Webb also sold 1,500 shares, trimming his ownership by 8.63%, adding to the insider-selling overhang. SEC filing for Brian Webb transaction

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

JBHT has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. TD Cowen lifted their price objective on shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services from $209.00 to $228.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 16th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services from $165.00 to $180.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 16th. UBS Group lifted their price objective on shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services from $216.00 to $221.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 16th. Citigroup boosted their target price on shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services from $228.00 to $236.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 16th. Finally, Raymond James Financial restated an "outperform" rating and set a $240.00 target price on shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services in a research report on Wednesday, April 15th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Buy rating and eleven have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $233.83.

About J.B. Hunt Transport Services

J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc is a leading provider of transportation and logistics solutions headquartered in Lowell, Arkansas. The company offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to move freight efficiently across North America, including intermodal, dedicated contract services, full truckload, less-than-truckload (LTL), final mile delivery and specialized transport.

In its intermodal segment, J.B. Hunt leverages a network of rail and truck assets to transport containers and trailers on major U.S.

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