Jefferies Financial Group (NYSE:JEF) Stock Price Crosses Above 50 Day Moving Average - What's Next?

Key Points

• Jefferies Financial Group shares crossed above their 50-day moving average, reaching $49.33 before last trading at approximately $49.13. The stock’s 50-day average is $48.38, compared with a 200-day average of $51.09.
• Analyst sentiment remains cautious: two analysts rate the stock a Buy while five recommend Hold, producing a consensus Hold rating and a $56.86 price target.
• Jefferies declared a quarterly dividend of $0.40 per share, equivalent to $1.60 annually and a 3.3% yield. Institutional investors own 60.88% of the company, with several major firms recently acquiring shares.

Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (NYSE:JEF - Get Free Report)'s share price crossed above its fifty day moving average during trading on Thursday. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $48.38 and traded as high as $49.33. Jefferies Financial Group shares last traded at $49.1260, with a volume of 3,066,439 shares.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on JEF shares. Capital One Financial set a $50.00 target price on shares of Jefferies Financial Group in a report on Tuesday, September 29th. UBS Group reduced their price target on Jefferies Financial Group from $65.00 to $61.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Friday, September 11th. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price target on Jefferies Financial Group from $57.00 to $50.00 and set a "market perform" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, September 29th. Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on Jefferies Financial Group from $50.00 to $49.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, September 29th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut Jefferies Financial Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, October 19th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $56.86.

Jefferies Financial Group Stock Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of $9.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.46 and a beta of 1.57. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $48.38 and its 200 day simple moving average is $51.09. The company has a quick ratio of 1.02, a current ratio of 1.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.09.

Jefferies Financial Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 25th. Investors of record on Monday, November 16th will be paid a $0.40 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, November 16th. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.3%. Jefferies Financial Group's dividend payout ratio is 43.84%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Bank of Nova Scotia bought a new position in Jefferies Financial Group during the 2nd quarter worth $3,509,000. Amundi lifted its holdings in shares of Jefferies Financial Group by 378.7% during the second quarter. Amundi now owns 228,236 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $11,407,000 after buying an additional 180,553 shares in the last quarter. Nykredit A S acquired a new stake in shares of Jefferies Financial Group during the second quarter worth $31,471,000. Berkshire Hathaway Inc bought a new stake in shares of Jefferies Financial Group in the second quarter valued at about $21,669,000. Finally, Fideuram Intesa Sanpaolo Private Banking S.P.A. bought a new stake in shares of Jefferies Financial Group in the first quarter valued at about $2,941,000. 60.88% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Jefferies Financial Group

Jefferies Financial Group Inc NYSE: JEF is a diversified financial services company that operates primarily through its investment banking and capital markets subsidiary, Jefferies LLC. The company provides advisory services for mergers and acquisitions, restructuring and other corporate transactions, along with equity and debt underwriting, securities sales and trading, research, and prime brokerage services.

Jefferies also manages and invests capital through asset management and merchant banking activities.

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