Lazard Asset Management LLC Sells 25,113 Shares of StepStone Group LP (NASDAQ:STEP)

Lazard Asset Management LLC cut its position in StepStone Group LP (NASDAQ:STEP - Free Report) by 10.0% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 226,888 shares of the company's stock after selling 25,113 shares during the period. Lazard Asset Management LLC owned approximately 0.20% of StepStone Group worth $13,131,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Barclays PLC grew its stake in shares of StepStone Group by 368.2% in the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 112,019 shares of the company's stock worth $6,366,000 after acquiring an additional 88,095 shares during the period. Principal Financial Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of StepStone Group by 43.3% in the third quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 417,845 shares of the company's stock worth $23,746,000 after acquiring an additional 126,315 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its stake in shares of StepStone Group by 36.6% in the fourth quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 844 shares of the company's stock worth $49,000 after acquiring an additional 226 shares during the period. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. grew its stake in shares of StepStone Group by 9.2% in the fourth quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 16,474 shares of the company's stock worth $954,000 after acquiring an additional 1,387 shares during the period. Finally, Nisa Investment Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of StepStone Group by 166.1% in the fourth quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,602 shares of the company's stock worth $93,000 after acquiring an additional 1,000 shares during the period. 55.54% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently commented on STEP shares. Barclays reduced their price target on shares of StepStone Group from $69.00 to $48.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 7th. Evercore ISI lifted their price target on shares of StepStone Group from $63.00 to $69.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, February 10th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on shares of StepStone Group from $66.00 to $51.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 14th. Finally, Oppenheimer set a $67.00 price target on shares of StepStone Group and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 16th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $61.64.

Insider Activity at StepStone Group

In other StepStone Group news, CEO Scott W. Hart sold 10,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $61.43, for a total value of $614,300.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 110,000 shares in the company, valued at $6,757,300. This represents a 8.33% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CAO Anthony Keathley sold 538 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $63.00, for a total transaction of $33,894.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 1,386 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $87,318. The trade was a 27.96% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 12,238 shares of company stock worth $750,219. 18.44% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

StepStone Group Trading Up 1.4%

NASDAQ STEP traded up $0.80 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $59.55. 483,538 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 672,309. The business's fifty day moving average price is $51.52 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $58.04. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.91 billion, a P/E ratio of -35.24 and a beta of 1.37. StepStone Group LP has a 52 week low of $36.97 and a 52 week high of $70.38.

About StepStone Group

StepStone Group Inc is a private equity and venture capital firm specializing in direct, fund of funds, secondary direct, and secondary indirect investments. For direct investment, it seeks to invest in private debt, venture debt, incubation, mezzanine, distressed/vulture, seed/startup, early venture, mid venture, late venture, emerging growth, later stage, turnaround, growth capital, industry consolidation, recapitalization, buyout investments in mature and middle market companies.