Jefferies Financial Group Downgrades Prudential Public (NYSE:PUK) to Hold

Key Points

• Jefferies downgraded Prudential Public (NYSE:PUK) from a "strong-buy" to a "hold," though the consensus remains a Moderate Buy with four Buy and three Hold ratings.
• PUK shares opened at $30.39 and are trading near their 50- and 200-day moving averages (~$29.8), inside a one-year range of $20.69 to $34.03.
• Several wealth managers increased their stakes in the quarter, but overall hedge fund and institutional ownership is low at about 1.90%.

Prudential Public (NYSE:PUK - Get Free Report) was downgraded by investment analysts at Jefferies Financial Group from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other brokerages have also commented on PUK. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft began coverage on Prudential Public in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. They set a "buy" rating for the company. Zacks Research raised Prudential Public from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "hold (c+)" rating on shares of Prudential Public in a research report on Wednesday, April 8th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reissued an "overweight" rating on shares of Prudential Public in a report on Thursday. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Prudential Public currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy".

Prudential Public Price Performance

Shares of PUK stock opened at $30.39 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21, a quick ratio of 0.04 and a current ratio of 0.04. Prudential Public has a one year low of $20.69 and a one year high of $34.03. The company's fifty day moving average price is $29.77 and its 200-day moving average price is $29.84.

Prudential Public (NYSE:PUK - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Saturday, February 14th. The financial services provider reported $25.85 EPS for the quarter. The business had revenue of $7.59 billion during the quarter. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Prudential Public will post 2.14 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Venturi Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Prudential Public by 24.0% in the 1st quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC now owns 12,888 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $366,000 after acquiring an additional 2,497 shares during the last quarter. Aaron Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Prudential Public by 54.9% during the 1st quarter. Aaron Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 25,856 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $735,000 after purchasing an additional 9,169 shares during the last quarter. Ritholtz Wealth Management raised its position in Prudential Public by 22.3% in the 1st quarter. Ritholtz Wealth Management now owns 42,012 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $1,194,000 after purchasing an additional 7,669 shares during the period. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. raised its position in Prudential Public by 179.5% in the 4th quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 5,612 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $175,000 after purchasing an additional 3,604 shares during the period. Finally, Rehmann Capital Advisory Group bought a new stake in Prudential Public in the fourth quarter worth about $225,000. 1.90% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Prudential Public Company Profile

Prudential Public NYSE: PUK is the New York listing for Prudential plc, a London‑headquartered international life insurance and financial services group. The company provides a range of long‑term savings, retirement and protection products designed for individual and institutional customers. Its core offerings include life insurance, pensions and annuities, group protection, and wealth and asset management services delivered through both proprietary and third‑party distribution channels.

Prudential operates across multiple regions, with significant focus on fast‑growing markets in Asia and Africa alongside its established businesses in Europe and other international markets.

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