Guidewire Software (NYSE:GWRE) Lowered to Hold Rating by DA Davidson

DA Davidson lowered shares of Guidewire Software (NYSE:GWRE - Free Report) from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, Marketbeat reports. The firm currently has $226.00 price target on the technology company's stock.

Other equities analysts have also recently issued research reports about the company. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on Guidewire Software from $210.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, February 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Guidewire Software from $228.00 to $231.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Friday, March 7th. Robert W. Baird upped their target price on Guidewire Software from $230.00 to $236.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, March 7th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reiterated a "hold" rating on shares of Guidewire Software in a research report on Friday, March 7th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Guidewire Software has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $207.42.

Guidewire Software Stock Up 0.8%

Shares of NYSE:GWRE traded up $1.75 on Thursday, hitting $209.75. 988,750 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 932,080. Guidewire Software has a 52 week low of $107.65 and a 52 week high of $219.59. The company has a quick ratio of 2.66, a current ratio of 2.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.53. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $197.97 and a 200-day simple moving average of $193.44. The company has a market cap of $17.59 billion, a PE ratio of 582.63, a PEG ratio of 37.21 and a beta of 1.18.

Guidewire Software (NYSE:GWRE - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, March 6th. The technology company reported $0.08 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.52 by ($0.44). Guidewire Software had a return on equity of 2.38% and a net margin of 2.91%. The firm had revenue of $289.48 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $285.74 million. As a group, research analysts expect that Guidewire Software will post 0.52 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Guidewire Software

In related news, insider James Winston King sold 1,051 shares of Guidewire Software stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $189.41, for a total transaction of $199,069.91. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 44,613 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $8,450,148.33. This trade represents a 2.30% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CEO Michael George Rosenbaum sold 1,400 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $203.65, for a total transaction of $285,110.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 271,930 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $55,378,544.50. This represents a 0.51% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 32,371 shares of company stock worth $6,210,967. 0.48% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Guidewire Software

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. raised its holdings in Guidewire Software by 403.8% during the 1st quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 131 shares of the technology company's stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 105 shares during the period. Advisors Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in Guidewire Software during the first quarter worth about $25,000. Quarry LP bought a new stake in Guidewire Software during the first quarter worth about $28,000. Rise Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Guidewire Software during the first quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB lifted its position in Guidewire Software by 70.0% during the first quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 170 shares of the technology company's stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 70 shares during the period.

About Guidewire Software

Guidewire Software, Inc provides a platform for property and casualty (P&C) insurers worldwide. The company offers Guidewire InsuranceSuite Cloud, such as PolicyCenter Cloud, BillingCenter Cloud, and ClaimCenter Cloud applications. It also provides Guidewire InsuranceNow, a cloud-based platform that offers policy, billing, and claims management functionality to insurers; and Guidewire InsuranceSuite for Self-Managed.