National Research (NASDAQ:NRC) Reaches New 1-Year High on Earnings Beat

Key Points

• National Research surpassed quarterly expectations, reporting EPS of $0.21 versus the $0.18 consensus estimate and revenue of $38.4 million versus $35.8 million expected. Shares reached a new 52-week high of $23.83.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.16 per share, equal to $0.64 annually and a 2.7% yield, though its reported payout ratio was high at 256%.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed, with a consensus “Hold” rating and an average price target of $27.00; institutional investors own 47.26% of the company.

Shares of National Research Corporation (NASDAQ:NRC - Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high on Wednesday after the company announced better than expected quarterly earnings. The company traded as high as $23.83 and last traded at $23.0050, with a volume of 102,415 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $21.75.

The company reported $0.21 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.18 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $38.40 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $35.80 million. National Research had a net margin of 4.18% and a return on equity of 164.26%.

National Research Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 8th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 29th will be paid a dividend of $0.16 per share. This represents a $0.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, December 29th. National Research's payout ratio is 256.00%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have commented on NRC shares. Wall Street Zen downgraded National Research from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, August 15th. Citizens Jmp lifted their price target on shares of National Research from $26.00 to $27.00 and gave the stock a "market outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday. Weiss Ratings lowered National Research from a "hold (c-)" rating to a "sell (d+)" rating in a report on Friday, October 9th. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded National Research to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, October 5th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, National Research presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $27.00.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On National Research

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc. grew its holdings in National Research by 51.7% in the third quarter. Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc. now owns 501,731 shares of the company's stock valued at $10,632,000 after purchasing an additional 171,082 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its holdings in National Research by 4.0% during the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 250,707 shares of the company's stock valued at $4,257,000 after purchasing an additional 9,730 shares in the last quarter. Heartland Advisors Inc. boosted its position in National Research by 374.3% in the 1st quarter. Heartland Advisors Inc. now owns 237,147 shares of the company's stock valued at $4,027,000 after buying an additional 187,147 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE grew its stake in National Research by 3.0% during the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 112,468 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,910,000 after purchasing an additional 3,323 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Fifth Third Bancorp bought a new stake in shares of National Research in the first quarter worth $1,531,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 47.26% of the company's stock.

National Research Price Performance

The company's 50-day moving average price is $21.12 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $19.15. The company has a market cap of $533.94 million, a P/E ratio of 93.88 and a beta of 0.25. The company has a current ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 13.13.

About National Research

National Research Corporation, formerly traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol NRC, provides research, analytics and performance-improvement services to the health care industry. Through its NRC Health business, the company helps hospitals, health systems and other care organizations understand and improve patient, consumer and employee experiences.

Its offerings have included patient and employee surveys, market research, reputation management, loyalty and engagement programs, benchmarking, and software tools that turn feedback and other data into operational insights.

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