Houlihan Lokey (NYSE:HLI) Sets New 1-Year High at $137.92

Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (NYSE:HLI - Get Free Report) shares reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $137.92 and last traded at $137.30, with a volume of 10411 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $136.80.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently commented on the stock. JMP Securities reiterated a "market perform" rating on shares of Houlihan Lokey in a research note on Tuesday, April 9th. UBS Group lowered their price target on Houlihan Lokey from $157.00 to $145.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reaffirmed a "market perform" rating and issued a $127.00 price objective on shares of Houlihan Lokey in a report on Monday, January 29th.

Houlihan Lokey Price Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $9.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.12 and a beta of 0.67. The firm's 50-day moving average is $127.97 and its 200-day moving average is $120.85.

Houlihan Lokey (NYSE:HLI - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 8th. The financial services provider reported $1.27 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.20 by $0.07. Houlihan Lokey had a net margin of 14.64% and a return on equity of 18.08%. The firm had revenue of $520.46 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $508.99 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.11 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 17.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts forecast that Houlihan Lokey, Inc. will post 5.72 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Houlihan Lokey Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Saturday, June 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 3rd will be paid a $0.57 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, June 3rd. This represents a $2.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.67%. This is an increase from Houlihan Lokey's previous quarterly dividend of $0.55. Houlihan Lokey's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 53.53%.

Insider Activity at Houlihan Lokey

In other news, General Counsel Christopher M. Crain sold 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, March 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $128.94, for a total value of $128,940.00. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 25.97% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Houlihan Lokey

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Accent Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Houlihan Lokey during the 4th quarter worth about $42,000. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Houlihan Lokey by 194.9% in the first quarter. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. now owns 401 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $52,000 after buying an additional 265 shares during the period. Anchor Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Houlihan Lokey during the 4th quarter worth approximately $54,000. Mather Group LLC. bought a new stake in shares of Houlihan Lokey during the 1st quarter worth approximately $74,000. Finally, Principal Securities Inc. purchased a new position in Houlihan Lokey during the 4th quarter valued at $82,000. 78.07% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Houlihan Lokey Company Profile

Houlihan Lokey, Inc, an investment banking company, provides merger and acquisition (M&A), capital market, financial restructuring, and financial and valuation advisory services worldwide. It operates in three segments: Corporate Finance, Financial Restructuring, and Financial and Valuation Advisory.