NetEase, Inc. $NTES Shares Purchased by Dimensional Fund Advisors LP

Key Points

• Dimensional Fund Advisors increased its NetEase stake by 16.9% in the first quarter, adding 155,784 shares to own 1.08 million shares valued at approximately $120.7 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 11.07% of the company.
• NetEase shares recently traded at $123.77, up 3.5%, with a market capitalization of $79.24 billion. The company pays a quarterly dividend of $0.72 per share, equating to a 2.3% yield and a 38.11% payout ratio.
• Analysts remain broadly positive, with one Strong Buy, seven Buy, and two Hold ratings; the consensus rating is Moderate Buy with a $158.38 price target. Separately, NetEase’s general counsel sold 10,000 shares, while insiders retain 54.70% ownership.

Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its holdings in NetEase, Inc. (NASDAQ:NTES - Free Report) by 16.9% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 1,079,110 shares of the technology company's stock after buying an additional 155,784 shares during the quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP owned approximately 0.17% of NetEase worth $120,697,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of NTES. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC increased its position in NetEase by 68,860.6% during the third quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 8,551,117 shares of the technology company's stock worth $1,299,684,000 after purchasing an additional 8,538,717 shares during the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC grew its stake in shares of NetEase by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 1,088,688 shares of the technology company's stock valued at $149,825,000 after buying an additional 5,600 shares during the period. Man Group plc increased its holdings in shares of NetEase by 7.3% during the 3rd quarter. Man Group plc now owns 1,055,122 shares of the technology company's stock worth $160,368,000 after buying an additional 71,966 shares during the last quarter. Morgan Stanley increased its holdings in shares of NetEase by 25.4% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 894,440 shares of the technology company's stock worth $123,093,000 after buying an additional 181,007 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mawer Investment Management Ltd. raised its position in shares of NetEase by 24.0% in the 4th quarter. Mawer Investment Management Ltd. now owns 559,896 shares of the technology company's stock worth $77,053,000 after buying an additional 108,446 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 11.07% of the company's stock.

Insider Activity at NetEase

In other news, General Counsel Paul William Boltz, Jr. sold 10,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Monday, June 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $128.30, for a total value of $1,283,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel directly owned 12,223 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,568,210.90. This represents a 45.00% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 54.70% of the company's stock.

NetEase Trading Up 3.5%

Shares of NASDAQ NTES opened at $123.77 on Tuesday. NetEase, Inc. has a 12-month low of $106.06 and a 12-month high of $159.55. The company has a market cap of $79.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.44, a P/E/G ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 0.72. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $124.17 and a 200 day moving average price of $121.57.

NetEase Cuts Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 18th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 5th were given a dividend of $0.72 per share. This represents a $2.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, June 5th. NetEase's payout ratio is presently 38.11%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages recently weighed in on NTES. Weiss Ratings upgraded NetEase from a "hold (c)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a report on Monday, July 20th. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $169.00 price target on NetEase in a research note on Wednesday, July 1st. Wall Street Zen upgraded NetEase from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an "overweight" rating and issued a $158.00 price objective on shares of NetEase in a research note on Tuesday, May 26th. Finally, Benchmark reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of NetEase in a report on Friday, May 22nd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have assigned a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $158.38.

NetEase Profile

NetEase, Inc NASDAQ: NTES is a Chinese technology company headquartered in Hangzhou that develops and operates Internet services and products. Founded in 1997 by William Ding (Ding Lei), the company has grown from an early web portal and e-mail provider into a diversified online services group. William Ding has served as the company's founder and long-time leader, guiding its expansion into games, digital content and consumer services.

The company's primary business is interactive entertainment: NetEase Games designs, develops and publishes PC and mobile games for domestic and international audiences, offering a mix of self-developed franchises and titles published under licensing and strategic partnerships.

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