Hilltop (NYSE:HTH) Stock Price Passes Above 200-Day Moving Average - Should You Sell?

Key Points

• HTH crossed above its 200-day moving average (200‑day MA $35.58), trading as high as $38.12 and last at $37.3750, a technical sign some traders view as bullish.
• Hilltop reported quarterly EPS of $0.64 (beating the $0.54 estimate) but slightly missed revenue estimates, and analysts remain mixed with an average rating of Hold and an average target of $37.50.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.20 per share (annualized yield ~2.1%), while insiders have been selling—most notably major shareholder Gerald J. Ford who sold 259,771 shares, materially reducing his stake.

Hilltop Holdings Inc. (NYSE:HTH - Get Free Report) crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $35.58 and traded as high as $38.12. Hilltop shares last traded at $37.3750, with a volume of 348,523 shares trading hands.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have weighed in on the company. Wall Street Zen upgraded Hilltop from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, April 25th. Weiss Ratings restated a "buy (b)" rating on shares of Hilltop in a report on Tuesday, April 21st. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their price target on Hilltop from $34.00 to $39.00 and gave the company a "market perform" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, Zacks Research lowered Hilltop from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 23rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Hilltop currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $37.50.

Hilltop Trading Down 1.7%

The firm has a market capitalization of $2.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.16 and a beta of 0.89. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $36.71 and a 200-day moving average price of $35.58.

Hilltop (NYSE:HTH - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 23rd. The financial services provider reported $0.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.54 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $300.51 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $304.87 million. Hilltop had a return on equity of 7.32% and a net margin of 10.13%.During the same period last year, the company earned $0.65 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Hilltop Holdings Inc. will post 2.23 earnings per share for the current year.

Hilltop Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 22nd. Investors of record on Friday, May 8th will be paid a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 8th. Hilltop's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 30.30%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Steve B. Thompson sold 9,025 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $39.84, for a total transaction of $359,556.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 91,817 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,657,989.28. This trade represents a 8.95% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, major shareholder Gerald J. Ford sold 259,771 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $37.98, for a total value of $9,866,102.58. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 7,867 shares of the company's stock, valued at $298,788.66. This represents a 97.06% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 29.90% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Hilltop

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Strategic Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Hilltop during the 4th quarter worth approximately $33,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Hilltop by 584.7% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,075 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 918 shares during the period. Allworth Financial LP increased its holdings in Hilltop by 37.3% during the 4th quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 1,153 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 313 shares during the period. Danske Bank A S purchased a new position in Hilltop during the 3rd quarter worth $43,000. Finally, Smartleaf Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in Hilltop by 42.7% during the 3rd quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,334 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 399 shares during the period. 57.13% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Hilltop Company Profile

Hilltop Holdings, Inc NYSE: HTH is a Dallas, Texas–based financial holding company offering commercial banking, mortgage lending and capital markets services through its three primary subsidiaries: PlainsCapital Corporation, PrimeLending and HilltopSecurities. PlainsCapital provides deposit, lending and treasury management solutions to small and mid-sized businesses, professionals and individuals. PrimeLending specializes in home purchase and refinance loans, serving retail, wholesale and correspondent channels.

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