Marcus (NYSE:MCS) Sets New 12-Month High - Should You Buy?

Key Points

• Marcus hit a new 52-week high of $19.67 (last traded $19.6950) on Friday with about 44,197 shares changing hands.
• Analysts are generally positive—four Buys and two Holds—giving an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $23.50.
• The company missed EPS in the latest quarter (‑$0.06 vs. $0.07 expected) but topped revenue estimates at $193.5M; it pays a $0.08 quarterly dividend (1.6% yield) with a high payout ratio of 80%.

Marcus Corporation (The) (NYSE:MCS - Get Free Report)'s share price reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as high as $19.67 and last traded at $19.6950, with a volume of 44197 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $18.70.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MCS has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. B. Riley Financial reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Marcus in a research report on Friday. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Marcus from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, March 23rd. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "hold (c-)" rating on shares of Marcus in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Barrington Research reiterated an "outperform" rating and set a $24.00 price target on shares of Marcus in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $23.50.

Marcus Price Performance

The company's 50 day moving average is $16.90 and its 200 day moving average is $15.69. The company has a current ratio of 0.40, a quick ratio of 0.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37. The stock has a market capitalization of $608.27 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 49.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 0.55.

Marcus (NYSE:MCS - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 26th. The company reported ($0.06) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.07 by ($0.13). Marcus had a return on equity of 0.46% and a net margin of 1.67%.The company had revenue of $193.50 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $185.19 million. Research analysts anticipate that Marcus Corporation will post 0.36 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Marcus Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 16th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 25th were paid a $0.08 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 25th. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.6%. Marcus's payout ratio is currently 80.00%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Marcus news, VP Thomas F. Kissinger sold 25,000 shares of Marcus stock in a transaction on Friday, March 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $17.32, for a total value of $433,000.00. Following the transaction, the vice president directly owned 199,700 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,458,804. The trade was a 11.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 10.40% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Hsbc Holdings PLC increased its stake in Marcus by 49.2% in the fourth quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 60,497 shares of the company's stock valued at $935,000 after purchasing an additional 19,947 shares during the period. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV acquired a new position in Marcus in the fourth quarter valued at $227,000. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. acquired a new position in Marcus in the fourth quarter valued at $170,000. PDT Partners LLC acquired a new position in Marcus in the fourth quarter valued at $314,000. Finally, AQR Capital Management LLC increased its stake in Marcus by 8.7% in the fourth quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 136,589 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,118,000 after purchasing an additional 10,943 shares during the period. 81.57% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Marcus Company Profile

The Marcus Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, owns and operates movie theatres, and hotels and resorts in the United States. It operates a family entertainment center and multiscreen motion picture theatres under the Big Screen Bistro, Big Screen Bistro Express, BistroPlex, and Movie Tavern by Marcus brand names. The company also owns and operates full-service hotels and resorts, as well as manages full-service hotels, resorts, and other properties. In addition, it provides hospitality management services, including check-in, housekeeping, and maintenance for a vacation ownership development; and manages condominium hotels under long-term management contracts.

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