Lazard Asset Management LLC Acquires 17,280 Shares of Liquidity Services, Inc. (NASDAQ:LQDT)

Lazard Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in Liquidity Services, Inc. (NASDAQ:LQDT - Free Report) by 36.0% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 65,263 shares of the business services provider's stock after buying an additional 17,280 shares during the period. Lazard Asset Management LLC owned 0.21% of Liquidity Services worth $2,107,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of LQDT. Access Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in Liquidity Services by 0.4% in the 4th quarter. Access Investment Management LLC now owns 82,830 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $2,675,000 after purchasing an additional 345 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its holdings in Liquidity Services by 4.6% in the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 15,692 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $507,000 after purchasing an additional 683 shares during the period. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co boosted its holdings in Liquidity Services by 1.9% in the 4th quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co now owns 37,332 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $1,205,000 after purchasing an additional 685 shares during the period. Willis Investment Counsel boosted its holdings in Liquidity Services by 1.6% in the 4th quarter. Willis Investment Counsel now owns 52,320 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $1,689,000 after purchasing an additional 800 shares during the period. Finally, Exchange Traded Concepts LLC boosted its holdings in Liquidity Services by 2.6% in the 4th quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 35,493 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $1,146,000 after purchasing an additional 900 shares during the period. 71.15% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Liquidity Services Stock Down 5.0%

Shares of NASDAQ LQDT traded down $1.26 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $23.76. 240,619 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 229,503. Liquidity Services, Inc. has a 52 week low of $18.87 and a 52 week high of $39.72. The stock has a market capitalization of $741.81 million, a PE ratio of 31.68 and a beta of 1.31. The company's 50 day moving average price is $29.54 and its 200 day moving average price is $30.56.

Liquidity Services (NASDAQ:LQDT - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 8th. The business services provider reported $0.31 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting analysts' consensus estimates of $0.31. Liquidity Services had a net margin of 6.37% and a return on equity of 20.94%. The company had revenue of $116.38 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $125.20 million.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have commented on the stock. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Liquidity Services from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 4th. Barrington Research reissued an "outperform" rating and issued a $40.00 price target on shares of Liquidity Services in a report on Wednesday, March 19th.

Insider Transactions at Liquidity Services

In other Liquidity Services news, insider Novelette Murray sold 7,938 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $33.96, for a total value of $269,574.48. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 36,181 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,228,706.76. The trade was a 17.99% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Jaime Mateus-Tique sold 35,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Monday, March 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $31.93, for a total transaction of $1,117,550.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 298,262 shares of the company's stock, valued at $9,523,505.66. This represents a 10.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 113,038 shares of company stock valued at $3,492,975. Insiders own 28.40% of the company's stock.

Liquidity Services Company Profile

Liquidity Services, Inc provides e-commerce marketplaces, self-directed auction listing tools, and value-added services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through four segments: GovDeals, Retail Supply Chain Group (RSCG), Capital Assets Group (CAG), and Machinio. Its marketplaces include liquidation.com that enable corporations to sell surplus and salvage consumer goods and retail capital assets; GovDeals marketplace, which provides self-directed service solutions in which sellers list their own assets that enables local and state government entities, and commercial businesses located in the United States and Canada to sell surplus and salvage assets; and AllSurplus, a centralized marketplace that connects global buyer base with assets from across the network of marketplaces in a single destination.