Investors Title (NASDAQ:ITIC) Stock Breaks Above Two Hundred Day Moving Average - Should You Sell?

Key Points

• Investors Title shares moved above their 200-day moving average of $261.90, reaching $279.64 intraday before last trading at $270.43, up 4.1%.
• The company reported quarterly earnings of $4.97 per share on $83.55 million in revenue, with a 12.47% net margin.
• Investors Title announced a $19.27 special dividend, payable December 15 to shareholders of record on December 1. Analyst views were mixed, though the stock retained an average “Buy” rating.

Shares of Investors Title Company (NASDAQ:ITIC - Get Free Report) passed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Tuesday. The stock has a two hundred day moving average of $261.90 and traded as high as $279.64. Investors Title shares last traded at $270.43, with a volume of 39,777 shares changing hands.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts recently commented on ITIC shares. Wall Street Zen cut Investors Title from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Weiss Ratings lowered Investors Title from a "buy (b+)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Buy".

Investors Title Trading Up 4.1%

The firm's fifty day moving average is $286.32 and its 200-day moving average is $261.90. The stock has a market capitalization of $511.11 million, a PE ratio of 13.61 and a beta of 0.60.

Investors Title (NASDAQ:ITIC - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, November 5th. The insurance provider reported $4.97 earnings per share for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $83.55 million during the quarter. Investors Title had a net margin of 12.47% and a return on equity of 13.64%.

Investors Title Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a special dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 1st will be paid a $19.27 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 1st. Investors Title's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 9.26%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Investors Title

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Investors Title in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $32,062,000. Aristides Capital LLC lifted its holdings in Investors Title by 13.6% during the 1st quarter. Aristides Capital LLC now owns 18,953 shares of the insurance provider's stock worth $4,119,000 after buying an additional 2,273 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp acquired a new position in shares of Investors Title during the 2nd quarter worth about $3,588,000. Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new position in shares of Investors Title in the 2nd quarter valued at about $1,554,000. Finally, GSA Capital Partners LLP acquired a new stake in shares of Investors Title during the 2nd quarter worth about $777,000. 41.40% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Investors Title Company Profile

Investors Title Company NASDAQ: ITIC is an insurance and real estate services company headquartered in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Founded in 1972, the company provides title insurance and related services that help protect property owners and lenders against losses arising from defects, claims, or other issues affecting real estate ownership. Through its title insurance subsidiaries, including Investors Title Insurance Company and National Investors Title Insurance Company, the company offers lender's and owner's title insurance policies.

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