Wakefield Asset Management LLLP Buys Shares of 2,208 Dillard's, Inc. $DDS

Key Points

• Wakefield Asset Management bought a new stake in Dillard’s during the fourth quarter, purchasing 2,208 shares valued at about $1.34 million.
• Dillard’s reported a strong first quarter, with earnings of $16.04 per share and revenue of $1.59 billion, both ahead of analyst expectations.
• The retailer also saw improving operating trends, including a 3% rise in comparable-store sales and a higher gross margin, though some analysts remain cautious because results were helped by a one-time litigation gain.

Wakefield Asset Management LLLP bought a new stake in Dillard's, Inc. (NYSE:DDS - Free Report) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm bought 2,208 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,344,000.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Quarry LP purchased a new position in shares of Dillard's in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $33,000. CoreCap Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Dillard's in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $52,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Dillard's by 790.0% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 89 shares of the company's stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 79 shares during the last quarter. Torren Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Dillard's in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $68,000. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Dillard's by 43.8% in the 3rd quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 128 shares of the company's stock valued at $79,000 after purchasing an additional 39 shares during the last quarter. 67.15% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Dillard's News

Here are the key news stories impacting Dillard's this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 earnings came in well above estimates at $16.04 per share versus about $10 expected, while revenue also topped forecasts, signaling better-than-anticipated profitability and demand. Dillard's, Inc. Reports First Quarter Results
• Positive Sentiment: Comparable-store sales rose 3% and total retail sales increased 3%, showing improving traffic and stronger merchandise demand across all major categories. Dillard's Q1 Earnings & Sales Beat Estimates, Retail Sales Up 3%
• Positive Sentiment: Gross margin improved to 45.8% and net income jumped to $250.6 million, helped by a favorable litigation settlement and better operating leverage. Dillard’s Shares Rise After Earnings Beat Fueled by Litigation Settlement (DDS)
• Neutral Sentiment: Management opened a new store in Ohio and raised inventory slightly, but also noted higher operating expenses, which could temper margin gains if costs stay elevated. Dillard's, Inc. Reports First Quarter Results
• Negative Sentiment: Some analysts remain cautious, arguing the strength may be temporary because results were aided by one-time litigation gains and may not fully reflect underlying retail demand. Dillard's: Strength Is Temporary

Dillard's Stock Up 1.1%

Dillard's stock opened at $540.51 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24, a current ratio of 2.65 and a quick ratio of 1.31. Dillard's, Inc. has a 1-year low of $386.85 and a 1-year high of $741.97. The company has a market cap of $8.44 billion, a PE ratio of 12.85 and a beta of 1.17. The stock's 50 day moving average price is $580.45 and its 200 day moving average price is $619.96.

Dillard's (NYSE:DDS - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 14th. The company reported $16.04 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $10.13 by $5.91. Dillard's had a return on equity of 31.89% and a net margin of 10.09%.The firm had revenue of $1.59 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.55 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $10.39 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 2.7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Dillard's, Inc. will post 32.52 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Dillard's Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, May 4th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 31st were paid a $0.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, March 31st. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.2%. Dillard's's payout ratio is 3.30%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have weighed in on DDS shares. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Dillard's in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Telsey Advisory Group lowered their target price on Dillard's from $700.00 to $650.00 and set a "market perform" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on Dillard's from $524.00 to $449.00 and set an "underweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Dillard's from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, March 28th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their price target on Dillard's from $460.00 to $465.00 and gave the company a "sell" rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 6th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Reduce" and a consensus target price of $521.33.

About Dillard's

Dillard's, Inc NYSE: DDS, headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, is a U.S.-based department store chain founded by William T. Dillard in 1938. Over more than eight decades of operation, the company has grown from a single store in Nashville, Arkansas, to a prominent retailer with a national footprint. Dillard's equity is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker DDS.

The company operates approximately 280 departmental stores across 29 states, offering a broad assortment of merchandise that includes men's and women's apparel, accessories, cosmetics, footwear, and home furnishings.

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