Rush Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ:RUSHA) Receives Average Rating of "Hold" from Analysts

Key Points

• Analysts are cautious on Rush Enterprises, with an average rating of “Hold” from five analysts. The consensus 1-year target price is about $83.67, with three hold ratings and two buy ratings.
• The company topped earnings expectations in its latest quarter, reporting EPS of $0.77 versus estimates of $0.72. However, revenue of $1.68 billion came in below the analyst forecast of $1.73 billion.
• Rush Enterprises recently paid a quarterly dividend of $0.19 per share, equal to a 1.0% annualized yield. The stock also saw insider selling, including a director who sold 8,000 shares in April.

Rush Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ:RUSHA - Get Free Report) has been given an average recommendation of "Hold" by the five analysts that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and two have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year target price among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $83.6667.

Several analysts have weighed in on RUSHA shares. Wolfe Research initiated coverage on Rush Enterprises in a report on Monday, April 27th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $88.00 price target on the stock. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Rush Enterprises from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research report on Wednesday. UBS Group raised their target price on shares of Rush Enterprises from $73.00 to $78.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 29th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Rush Enterprises from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Sunday, June 14th. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded shares of Rush Enterprises from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, June 29th.

Rush Enterprises Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:RUSHA traded up $1.54 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $75.48. 415,347 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 544,639. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $70.55 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $67.63. Rush Enterprises has a 12 month low of $45.67 and a 12 month high of $76.99. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.60 and a beta of 0.89. The company has a quick ratio of 0.37, a current ratio of 1.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16.

Rush Enterprises (NASDAQ:RUSHA - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 28th. The company reported $0.77 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.72 by $0.05. Rush Enterprises had a net margin of 3.65% and a return on equity of 11.87%. The company had revenue of $1.68 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.73 billion. On average, equities analysts expect that Rush Enterprises will post 3.79 earnings per share for the current year.

Rush Enterprises Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, June 10th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, May 12th were given a dividend of $0.19 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, May 12th. This represents a $0.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.0%. Rush Enterprises's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 22.96%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Michael Mcroberts sold 8,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, April 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.23, for a total transaction of $577,840.00. Following the sale, the director owned 16,229 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,172,220.67. The trade was a 33.02% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 12.68% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Rush Enterprises

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Royal Bank of Canada lifted its holdings in Rush Enterprises by 33.6% during the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 10,786 shares of the company's stock valued at $575,000 after purchasing an additional 2,715 shares in the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Rush Enterprises by 8.0% in the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 24,509 shares of the company's stock worth $1,309,000 after buying an additional 1,806 shares in the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its position in shares of Rush Enterprises by 4.6% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 36,225 shares of the company's stock worth $1,935,000 after acquiring an additional 1,592 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Rush Enterprises by 18.4% during the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 390,387 shares of the company's stock worth $20,851,000 after acquiring an additional 60,615 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Caxton Associates LLP purchased a new position in Rush Enterprises during the first quarter valued at $221,000. 84.43% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Rush Enterprises

Rush Enterprises, Inc, headquartered in New Braunfels, Texas, is a leading distributor of commercial vehicles and related products in the United States. Through its Rush Truck Centers subsidiary, the company sells new and used medium- and heavy-duty trucks, buses and specialty vehicles, while also offering factory-authorized parts, collision repair, maintenance and warranty support across its network of dealerships.

Founded in 1965, Rush Enterprises has grown to encompass more than 150 locations in over 20 states, partnering with major manufacturers including Kenworth, Peterbilt, Freightliner, Volvo and Mack.

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