The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company Acquires New Shares in Aya Gold & Silver Inc. $AYA

Key Points

• Institutional buying increased: The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company acquired 154,716 Aya Gold & Silver shares worth approximately $2.9 million, while several other major investors also initiated positions during the second quarter.
• Analyst sentiment is generally positive: Aya has an average “Buy” rating, with two Strong Buy, one Buy, and one Hold recommendation, despite mixed individual rating changes.
• Shares and earnings faced pressure: The stock was reported down 5.6% and opened at $26.37, while quarterly EPS of $0.23 missed the $0.36 analyst consensus estimate.

The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company acquired a new position in shares of Aya Gold & Silver Inc. (NASDAQ:AYA - Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor acquired 154,716 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,924,000. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company owned about 0.11% of Aya Gold & Silver at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Deutsche Bank AG bought a new stake in Aya Gold & Silver in the second quarter valued at $26,946,000. Edmond DE Rothschild Holding S.A. bought a new position in shares of Aya Gold & Silver during the second quarter worth about $5,145,000. Cibc World Market Inc. bought a new position in shares of Aya Gold & Silver during the second quarter worth about $1,509,000. Alberta Investment Management Corp acquired a new stake in shares of Aya Gold & Silver in the 2nd quarter worth about $663,000. Finally, Quantbot Technologies LP acquired a new stake in shares of Aya Gold & Silver in the 2nd quarter worth about $557,000.

Analyst Ratings Changes

AYA has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Aya Gold & Silver from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. Desjardins raised Aya Gold & Silver to a "moderate buy" rating in a report on Friday, May 15th. Zacks Research upgraded Aya Gold & Silver from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Monday, July 13th. Finally, Scotiabank raised Aya Gold & Silver to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 20th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has assigned a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Buy".

Aya Gold & Silver Stock Down 5.6%

Shares of AYA opened at $26.37 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $3.80 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.09. The company has a quick ratio of 1.70, a current ratio of 2.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $22.53. Aya Gold & Silver Inc. has a 52-week low of $15.84 and a 52-week high of $30.24.

Aya Gold & Silver (NASDAQ:AYA - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 13th. The company reported $0.23 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.36 by ($0.13). Aya Gold & Silver had a return on equity of 25.49% and a net margin of 32.92%. On average, equities analysts expect that Aya Gold & Silver Inc. will post 1.11 EPS for the current year.

Aya Gold & Silver Profile

Aya Gold & Silver is a precious metals company focused on the exploration, development, and production of silver and gold. The company is best known for its operations in Morocco, where it is advancing and operating assets within the country's mining sector.

The company's business activities center on identifying, developing, and optimizing mineral resources, with an emphasis on silver production and related byproducts. Aya Gold & Silver is involved in the full mining lifecycle, from exploration and resource definition through to mine development and operations.

Founded as a Canadian mining company, Aya Gold & Silver has built its portfolio around North African mineral assets and continues to concentrate on expanding its presence in Morocco.

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