Ryanair (NASDAQ:RYAAY) Reaches New 1-Year Low - What's Next?

Key Points

• Ryanair shares fell to a new 52-week low of $51.68, closing near $51.95 and trading below both their 50-day and 200-day moving averages.
• Despite the decline, analysts remain broadly positive, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $73.97. Ratings include one Strong Buy, six Buys, two Holds and one Sell.
• The company’s latest quarterly results missed expectations, with EPS of $1.19 versus the $1.37 estimate and revenue of $5 billion versus $5.06 billion expected. Ryanair also announced a special dividend of $0.4434 per share.

Ryanair Holdings PLC (NASDAQ:RYAAY - Get Free Report)'s share price hit a new 52-week low on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $51.68 and last traded at $51.95, with a volume of 2498542 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $53.16.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

RYAAY has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Ryanair in a report on Tuesday, July 14th. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed a "strong-buy" rating and set a $74.00 price objective on shares of Ryanair in a report on Monday, August 24th. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an "outperform" rating on shares of Ryanair in a research note on Tuesday, May 19th. Morgan Stanley started coverage on Ryanair in a research report on Friday, August 14th. They issued an "overweight" rating and a $62.90 price objective for the company. Finally, Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Ryanair from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research report on Friday, September 4th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $73.97.

Ryanair Trading Down 2.3%

The business's 50-day moving average is $58.18 and its two-hundred day moving average is $59.50. The stock has a market capitalization of $26.93 billion, a PE ratio of 12.49, a PEG ratio of 4.54 and a beta of 1.16.

Ryanair (NASDAQ:RYAAY - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Friday, July 17th. The transportation company reported $1.19 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.37 by ($0.18). The firm had revenue of $5 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.06 billion. Ryanair had a return on equity of 21.23% and a net margin of 12.14%. On average, analysts predict that Ryanair Holdings PLC will post 3.84 EPS for the current year.

Ryanair Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a special dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 7th will be paid a dividend of $0.4434 per share. Ryanair's payout ratio is currently 18.03%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Ryanair news, insider John Hurley sold 15,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $31.24, for a total transaction of $468,600.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 76,025 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,375,021. This trade represents a 16.48% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ryanair

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in RYAAY. IFP Advisors Inc lifted its position in shares of Ryanair by 48.1% in the 2nd quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 665 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $43,000 after buying an additional 216 shares during the last quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC raised its position in shares of Ryanair by 64.9% during the 4th quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 653 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 257 shares during the period. MidFirst Bank bought a new stake in shares of Ryanair in the 4th quarter worth approximately $50,000. University of Texas Texas AM Investment Management Co. bought a new position in Ryanair during the 4th quarter worth $52,000. Finally, Global Retirement Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Ryanair by 156.0% in the 4th quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 1,751 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $126,000 after acquiring an additional 1,067 shares during the period. 43.65% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Ryanair

Ryanair Holdings plc is an Irish airline group that operates low-cost, scheduled passenger services primarily across Europe. Through its operating airlines, including Ryanair, Ryanair UK, Malta Air, Buzz and Lauda, the group connects a broad network of destinations with a focus on affordable fares, high aircraft utilization and short-haul travel.

The company serves markets throughout the United Kingdom and continental Europe, as well as selected destinations in North Africa and the Middle East.

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