Prudential Public (NYSE:PUK) Reaches New 12-Month Low - Should You Sell?

Key Points

• Prudential’s stock fell to a new 52-week low of $24.55, below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages of $27.57 and $28.46, respectively.
• Analyst sentiment remains generally positive: the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a $39.30 price target, although several firms rate it only “Hold.”
• The company reported quarterly EPS of $0.58 on $3.90 billion in revenue and declared a $0.1776-per-share dividend; institutional investors collectively own 1.90% of the stock.

Prudential Public Limited Company (NYSE:PUK - Get Free Report)'s stock price hit a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Thursday. The stock traded as low as $24.55 and last traded at $24.6010, with a volume of 16845 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $24.74.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on PUK shares. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Prudential Public from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, September 21st. Weiss Ratings reissued a "hold (c+)" rating on shares of Prudential Public in a research note on Monday, July 6th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Prudential Public from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, September 26th. Finally, Berenberg Bank set a $39.30 target price on shares of Prudential Public and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, September 3rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have given a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $39.30.

Prudential Public Price Performance

The stock's 50 day moving average price is $27.57 and its 200 day moving average price is $28.46. The company has a current ratio of 0.03, a quick ratio of 0.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22.

Prudential Public (NYSE:PUK - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Friday, August 14th. The financial services provider reported $0.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The company had revenue of $3.90 billion during the quarter. On average, analysts expect that Prudential Public Limited Company will post 2.34 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Prudential Public Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 22nd. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 11th will be paid a dividend of $0.1776 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 11th. This represents a dividend yield of 133.0%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in PUK. Bank of America Corp DE grew its position in Prudential Public by 5.6% during the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 4,470,630 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $127,100,000 after acquiring an additional 238,189 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its holdings in shares of Prudential Public by 9.3% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 2,826,101 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $80,201,000 after purchasing an additional 240,416 shares during the period. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its holdings in shares of Prudential Public by 13.9% in the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 2,397,352 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $68,157,000 after purchasing an additional 292,677 shares during the period. Quantinno Capital Management LP lifted its stake in shares of Prudential Public by 45.5% in the 1st quarter. Quantinno Capital Management LP now owns 638,516 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $18,153,000 after purchasing an additional 199,548 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Assetmark Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Prudential Public by 14,270.3% in the 1st quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 251,049 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $7,137,000 after purchasing an additional 249,302 shares in the last quarter. 1.90% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Prudential Public

Prudential plc NYSE: PUK is an international insurance and financial services company headquartered in London. The company focuses on serving customers in Asia and Africa, providing financial protection and long-term savings solutions through its insurance and asset management businesses.

Its principal products and services include life insurance, health and medical coverage, savings and investment products, retirement planning, and wealth management. Prudential distributes its offerings through agency networks, bancassurance partnerships, brokers, and digital channels, serving individuals, families, and businesses.

Founded in 1848, Prudential has developed a substantial presence across markets including Hong Kong, mainland China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, and selected African countries.

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