Gold Fields (NYSE:GFI) Sets New 1-Year High - Here's Why

Gold Fields Limited (NYSE:GFI - Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $25.52 and last traded at $24.71, with a volume of 4485174 shares. The stock had previously closed at $23.87.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on GFI shares. HSBC reiterated a "hold" rating and set a $21.00 price objective on shares of Gold Fields in a research note on Thursday, April 17th. StockNews.com cut Gold Fields from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday. Scotiabank increased their price objective on Gold Fields from $20.00 to $23.00 and gave the company a "sector perform" rating in a report on Monday, April 14th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on Gold Fields from $17.10 to $18.80 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 15th. Finally, Hsbc Global Res upgraded Gold Fields to a "hold" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 17th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $18.56.

Gold Fields Trading Down 2.9 %

The firm's fifty day moving average price is $20.93 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $17.40. The stock has a market capitalization of $20.94 billion, a PE ratio of 9.96, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.30 and a beta of 0.92.

Gold Fields Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 14th were given a $0.3752 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 14th. This represents a dividend yield of 1.6%. This is an increase from Gold Fields's previous semi-annual dividend of $0.17. Gold Fields's dividend payout ratio is 25.96%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Gold Fields

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of GFI. Blue Trust Inc. boosted its position in Gold Fields by 67.1% during the first quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 4,053 shares of the company's stock worth $90,000 after purchasing an additional 1,627 shares in the last quarter. CWA Asset Management Group LLC lifted its position in shares of Gold Fields by 21.0% during the 1st quarter. CWA Asset Management Group LLC now owns 94,184 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,081,000 after buying an additional 16,359 shares in the last quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. grew its stake in Gold Fields by 52.3% in the 1st quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 15,377 shares of the company's stock valued at $340,000 after acquiring an additional 5,279 shares during the period. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC purchased a new stake in Gold Fields in the 1st quarter worth $203,000. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. acquired a new position in Gold Fields during the first quarter worth $2,914,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 24.81% of the company's stock.

Gold Fields Company Profile

Gold Fields Limited operates as a gold producer with reserves and resources in Chile, South Africa, Ghana, Canada, Australia, and Peru. It also explores for copper and silver deposits. The company was founded in 1887 and is based in Sandton, South Africa.