Vodafone Group PLC (NASDAQ:VOD) Receives Consensus Rating of "Reduce" from Analysts

Key Points

• Vodafone Group PLC has received a consensus rating of "Reduce" from seven analysts, with two sell recommendations and one buy recommendation.
• The company announced a $0.2355 semi-annual dividend recently, yielding 660.0%, while its payout ratio stands at 42.98%.
• Vodafone stock has fluctuated between a fifty-two week low of $8.00 and a high of $11.66, with a current market capitalization of $26.59 billion.

Shares of Vodafone Group PLC (NASDAQ:VOD - Get Free Report) have earned an average recommendation of "Reduce" from the six brokerages that are covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month target price among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $136.00.

Several research firms have weighed in on VOD. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated an "underweight" rating on shares of Vodafone Group in a report on Wednesday, April 23rd. The Goldman Sachs Group cut shares of Vodafone Group from a "neutral" rating to a "sell" rating and set a $136.00 price target on the stock. in a research report on Thursday, July 31st. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Vodafone Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 27th. Berenberg Bank raised shares of Vodafone Group to a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday, June 26th. Finally, Morgan Stanley assumed coverage on shares of Vodafone Group in a report on Wednesday, July 2nd. They issued an "equal weight" rating for the company.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Fourpath Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Vodafone Group by 4.6% in the 2nd quarter. Fourpath Capital Management LLC now owns 21,225 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $226,000 after purchasing an additional 940 shares during the last quarter. Signaturefd LLC increased its stake in Vodafone Group by 1.6% during the 2nd quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 77,232 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $823,000 after purchasing an additional 1,210 shares in the last quarter. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. grew its stake in shares of Vodafone Group by 65.5% during the 1st quarter. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. now owns 3,159 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 1,250 shares in the last quarter. Ethic Inc. grew its stake in shares of Vodafone Group by 1.5% in the second quarter. Ethic Inc. now owns 89,967 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock valued at $949,000 after buying an additional 1,288 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Brucke Financial Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Vodafone Group by 9.8% during the first quarter. Brucke Financial Inc. now owns 14,700 shares of the cell phone carrier's stock worth $143,000 after buying an additional 1,308 shares in the last quarter. 7.84% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Vodafone Group Stock Down 0.5%

Shares of VOD traded down $0.06 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $11.25. 4,885,484 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 12,198,298. Vodafone Group has a 52 week low of $8.00 and a 52 week high of $11.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 1.23 and a current ratio of 1.26. The company has a market cap of $27.29 billion, a PE ratio of 9.85, a PEG ratio of 0.53 and a beta of 0.62. The firm's 50 day moving average is $10.64 and its 200-day moving average is $9.63.

Vodafone Group Cuts Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 6th were paid a dividend of $0.2355 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, June 6th. This represents a dividend yield of 660.0%. Vodafone Group's payout ratio is currently 42.98%.

About Vodafone Group

Vodafone Group Public Limited Company provides telecommunication services in Europe and internationally. It offers mobile connectivity services comprising end-to-end services for mobile voice and data, messaging, device management, BYOx, and telecoms management, as well as professional and consulting services; and fixed line connectivity, such as fixed voice and data, broadband, software-defined networks, managed WAN, LAN, ethernet, and satellite; and financial services, as well as business and merchant services.