Saratoga Investment (NYSE:SAR) Downgraded to Sell Rating by Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen downgraded Saratoga Investment (NYSE:SAR) from “hold” to “sell,” while Weiss Ratings separately reaffirmed a “hold (c)” view. Overall, analysts tracked by MarketBeat still show a consensus Hold rating with a target price of $23.63.
• The stock was trading at $22.22, down 0.5%, with a market cap of $361.58 million and a low beta of 0.55. It also sits near its 50-day and 200-day moving averages and remains above its 52-week low of $20.78.
• Saratoga posted EPS of $0.53 in its latest quarter, matching estimates, but revenue came in at $6.85 million versus expectations of $30.85 million. The company’s 19.09% institutional ownership and recent small new stakes from hedge funds suggest continued investor interest.

Saratoga Investment (NYSE:SAR - Get Free Report) was downgraded by analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research note issued to investors on Saturday.

Separately, Weiss Ratings restated a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Saratoga Investment in a research report on Friday, March 27th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $23.63.

Saratoga Investment Stock Down 0.5%

Shares of NYSE SAR opened at $22.22 on Friday. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $22.57 and a 200 day moving average price of $22.81. The stock has a market cap of $361.58 million, a PE ratio of 9.54 and a beta of 0.55. The company has a quick ratio of 0.25, a current ratio of 0.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. Saratoga Investment has a 52-week low of $20.78 and a 52-week high of $25.64.

Saratoga Investment (NYSE:SAR - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 5th. The financial services provider reported $0.53 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.53. Saratoga Investment had a return on equity of 9.29% and a net margin of 29.12%.The company had revenue of $6.85 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $30.85 million. Equities research analysts forecast that Saratoga Investment will post 2.25 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Saratoga Investment

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of SAR. BNP Paribas Financial Markets purchased a new stake in shares of Saratoga Investment during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Quantbot Technologies LP purchased a new position in Saratoga Investment in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Advisory Services Network LLC acquired a new position in Saratoga Investment during the third quarter worth $45,000. Kestra Advisory Services LLC acquired a new position in Saratoga Investment during the fourth quarter worth $46,000. Finally, Daytona Street Capital LLC purchased a new stake in Saratoga Investment during the fourth quarter worth $51,000. 19.09% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Saratoga Investment

Saratoga Investment Corp. is a closed-end, externally managed investment company that seeks to generate current income and total return through a diversified portfolio of private U.S. companies. Trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker SAR, the firm primarily targets middle-market businesses across a broad range of industries, including industrials, healthcare, consumer products, financial services and technology. Its investment approach combines debt and equity instruments, providing flexible capital solutions such as first-lien and second-lien secured loans, mezzanine debt, preferred equity and common equity positions.

As an actively managed vehicle, Saratoga Investment works closely with portfolio companies’ management teams to support growth initiatives, operational improvements, and strategic transactions.

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