Man Group (LON:EMG) Reaches New 12-Month High - Still a Buy?

Key Points

• Man Group shares reached a new 52-week high, trading as high as GBX 334.60 before closing near GBX 329.80, up from the prior close of GBX 316.60.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed: Jefferies maintained a “buy” rating with a GBX 345 target, while Citigroup and Deutsche Bank rated the stock “neutral” or “hold.” The consensus rating is “Hold,” with an average price target of GBX 304.75.
• Insider activity was mixed, with Laurie Fitch purchasing 15,000 shares and Antoine Forterre selling 500,000 shares; insiders collectively own 7.71% of Man Group.

Man Group Plc (LON:EMG - Get Free Report)'s share price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as GBX 334.60 and last traded at GBX 329.80, with a volume of 5589999 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at GBX 316.60.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on EMG. Citigroup increased their target price on shares of Man Group from GBX 325 to GBX 335 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a GBX 345 price objective on shares of Man Group in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a "hold" rating and issued a GBX 330 target price on shares of Man Group in a research note on Friday, September 4th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Man Group presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of GBX 304.75.

Man Group Stock Performance

The stock's 50-day moving average is GBX 305.96 and its 200 day moving average is GBX 283.32. The stock has a market cap of £3.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.87, a P/E/G ratio of -1.15 and a beta of 0.63. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 19.06, a current ratio of 2.40 and a quick ratio of 1.58.

Insider Buying and Selling at Man Group

In other Man Group news, insider Laurie Fitch acquired 15,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 26th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of GBX 285 per share, with a total value of £42,750. Also, insider Antoine Forterre sold 500,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 307, for a total transaction of £1,535,000. Insiders own 7.71% of the company's stock.

About Man Group

With a heritage in aiming to deliver attractive performance and tailored client solutions, Man Group is a highly active investment manager, powered by cutting edge investment technology. As a manager of millions of savers' capital, we have a responsibility as stewards of those investments to create a better, more sustainable future for investors and society. Our quantitative expertise and data-driven culture means we believe Man Group is in a unique position to uncover the opportunities of the future. Our five investment management businesses leverage our robust infrastructure to provide a diverse range of strategies across investment approaches, styles and asset classes. We continuously invest in talent, technology and research as we strive to deliver the best results for our clients.

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