Wall Street Zen Upgrades BrightSpring Health Services (NASDAQ:BTSG) to Strong-Buy

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen upgraded BrightSpring Health Services from buy to strong-buy, adding to a wave of bullish analyst sentiment. The stock now carries an average Buy rating with an average price target of $56.29.
• BrightSpring posted a strong first-quarter earnings beat, reporting $0.39 EPS versus the $0.29 estimate and revenue of $3.61 billion versus $3.39 billion expected. Revenue rose 25.6% year over year, and analysts expect full-year EPS of 1.64.
• The stock has been trading near its 52-week high, opening at $54.83 after a 3.6% move higher, with a 52-week range of $19.01 to $54.95. Recent insider selling and new institutional stakes were also noted, but the overall tone remains positive.

BrightSpring Health Services (NASDAQ:BTSG - Get Free Report) was upgraded by stock analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note issued to investors on Saturday.

Other equities analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Mizuho lifted their price objective on BrightSpring Health Services from $52.00 to $61.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Tuesday. Zacks Research upgraded BrightSpring Health Services from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 3rd. KeyCorp lifted their price objective on BrightSpring Health Services from $55.00 to $60.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday. UBS Group lifted their target price on BrightSpring Health Services from $53.00 to $55.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 18th. Finally, TD Cowen lifted their target price on BrightSpring Health Services from $60.00 to $65.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and fifteen have issued a Buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $56.29.

BrightSpring Health Services Trading Up 3.6%

Shares of BTSG opened at $54.83 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $44.21 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $39.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24, a quick ratio of 1.38 and a current ratio of 1.74. BrightSpring Health Services has a 52-week low of $19.01 and a 52-week high of $54.95. The company has a market cap of $10.63 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.89, a PEG ratio of 0.72 and a beta of 1.71.

BrightSpring Health Services (NASDAQ:BTSG - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, May 1st. The company reported $0.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.29 by $0.10. BrightSpring Health Services had a return on equity of 14.63% and a net margin of 2.27%.The firm had revenue of $3.61 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.39 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.14 EPS. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 25.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that BrightSpring Health Services will post 1.64 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Lisa A. Nalley sold 30,000 shares of BrightSpring Health Services stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $41.15, for a total value of $1,234,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 110,594 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $4,550,943.10. This trade represents a 21.34% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Jennifer A. Phipps sold 35,000 shares of BrightSpring Health Services stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $41.15, for a total value of $1,440,250.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 196,840 shares of the company's stock, valued at $8,099,966. This trade represents a 15.10% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 285,000 shares of company stock valued at $11,727,750. Company insiders own 2.80% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On BrightSpring Health Services

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of BrightSpring Health Services during the first quarter worth $31,000. NBC Securities Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of BrightSpring Health Services during the fourth quarter worth $29,000. Salomon & Ludwin LLC acquired a new stake in shares of BrightSpring Health Services during the fourth quarter worth $30,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of BrightSpring Health Services during the first quarter worth $52,000. Finally, CWM LLC grew its stake in shares of BrightSpring Health Services by 105.3% during the third quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,595 shares of the company's stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 818 shares during the period.

About BrightSpring Health Services

BrightSpring Health Services NASDAQ: BTSG is a leading provider of home and community-based care and workforce solutions aimed at seniors, individuals with disabilities and those facing behavioral health challenges. The company's operations encompass a broad spectrum of services, including personal care, skilled nursing, therapy, habilitation and supported living, as well as specialized behavioral health programs delivered through both clinical and non-clinical channels.

Through its network of subsidiary brands, BrightSpring offers integrated care in the patient's home environment, fostering independence and improving quality of life.

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