Lincoln National (NYSE:LNC) Sets New 52-Week High - Time to Buy?

Key Points

• Lincoln National's stock achieved a new 52-week high of $43.20, closing at $43.03 with significant trading volume of 961,417 shares.
• The company recently reported earnings per share (EPS) of $2.36 for the quarter, exceeding analyst expectations of $1.91.
• Lincoln National declared a dividend of $0.45 per share, with a dividend yield of 4.2%, set to be paid on November 3rd.

Lincoln National Corporation (NYSE:LNC - Get Free Report)'s stock price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $43.20 and last traded at $43.03, with a volume of 961417 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $42.67.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have commented on LNC. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their price target on shares of Lincoln National from $40.00 to $42.00 and gave the company a "market perform" rating in a report on Monday, August 4th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Lincoln National from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, August 2nd. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on shares of Lincoln National from $38.00 to $41.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Monday, August 18th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on shares of Lincoln National from $38.00 to $41.00 and gave the stock an "underweight" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 8th. Finally, National Bankshares set a $41.00 target price on shares of Lincoln National in a research note on Monday, August 18th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $39.70.

Lincoln National Stock Performance

The company has a current ratio of 0.26, a quick ratio of 0.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67. The firm's 50-day moving average is $37.87 and its two-hundred day moving average is $35.18. The stock has a market cap of $7.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.30, a P/E/G ratio of 0.58 and a beta of 1.48.

Lincoln National (NYSE:LNC - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 31st. The financial services provider reported $2.36 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.91 by $0.45. The company had revenue of $4.04 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.65 billion. Lincoln National had a net margin of 6.34% and a return on equity of 19.14%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.87 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Lincoln National Corporation will post 7.69 earnings per share for the current year.

Lincoln National Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 3rd. Investors of record on Friday, October 10th will be given a dividend of $0.45 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 10th. This represents a $1.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.3%. Lincoln National's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 31.41%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Lincoln National

In related news, EVP John Christopher Kennedy sold 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $39.29, for a total transaction of $196,450.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 123,815 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $4,864,691.35. This trade represents a 3.88% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.54% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in LNC. Hollencrest Capital Management raised its stake in Lincoln National by 383.2% during the 1st quarter. Hollencrest Capital Management now owns 749 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 594 shares in the last quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Lincoln National during the 2nd quarter worth $28,000. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC acquired a new stake in Lincoln National during the 2nd quarter worth $29,000. NBC Securities Inc. acquired a new stake in Lincoln National during the 1st quarter worth $33,000. Finally, Brooklyn Investment Group raised its stake in Lincoln National by 82.9% during the 1st quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group now owns 1,156 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $42,000 after acquiring an additional 524 shares in the last quarter. 72.81% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Lincoln National

Lincoln National Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates multiple insurance and retirement businesses in the United States. It operates in four segments: Life Insurance, Annuities, Group Protection, and Retirement Plan Services. The Life Insurance segment provides life insurance products, including term insurance, universal life insurance (UL), indexed universal life insurance, variable universal life insurance (VUL), linked-benefit UL and VUL products, and critical illness and long-term care riders.