Upbound Group (NASDAQ:UPBD) Stock Rating Upgraded by Zacks Research

Upbound Group (NASDAQ:UPBD) was upgraded by research analysts at Zacks Research from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report released on Monday, MarketBeat reports.

A number of other research firms also recently commented on UPBD. BTIG Research reduced their target price on Upbound Group from $40.00 to $28.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 31st. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Upbound Group in a report on Monday. TD Cowen decreased their target price on shares of Upbound Group from $36.00 to $31.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 31st. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Upbound Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, December 20th. Finally, Loop Capital upgraded shares of Upbound Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $36.00 price target for the company in a research report on Monday, September 15th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $32.50.

Upbound Group Price Performance

Shares of UPBD stock opened at $17.57 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.25, a current ratio of 3.16 and a quick ratio of 0.98. The company has a market capitalization of $1.02 billion, a PE ratio of 12.12 and a beta of 1.87. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $18.58 and its two-hundred day moving average is $22.25. Upbound Group has a 12 month low of $15.82 and a 12 month high of $30.62.

Upbound Group (NASDAQ:UPBD) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $1.00 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.98 by $0.02. Upbound Group had a net margin of 1.85% and a return on equity of 36.08%. The business had revenue of $1.16 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.15 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.95 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 9.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Upbound Group has set its FY 2025 guidance at 4.050-4.150 EPS. Analysts predict that Upbound Group will post 4.28 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity at Upbound Group

In other Upbound Group news, Director Jeffrey J. Brown acquired 1,951 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 21st. The stock was purchased at an average price of $22.27 per share, for a total transaction of $43,448.77. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 90,965 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,025,790.55. This trade represents a 2.19% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 2.60% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Upbound Group

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Beacon Financial Group purchased a new stake in shares of Upbound Group during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $1,793,000. CSM Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Upbound Group during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $4,022,000. State of Alaska Department of Revenue increased its position in Upbound Group by 8.3% during the second quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 30,657 shares of the company’s stock worth $769,000 after buying an additional 2,356 shares during the period. Azora Capital LP acquired a new stake in Upbound Group during the 2nd quarter worth $18,961,000. Finally, Summit Global Investments purchased a new position in Upbound Group during the 2nd quarter worth $1,058,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.30% of the company’s stock.

About Upbound Group

Upbound Group, Inc leases household durable goods to customers on a lease-to-own basis in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. It operates through four segments: Rent-A-Center, Acima, Mexico, and Franchising. The company's brands, such as Rent-A-Center and Acima that facilitate consumer transactions across a range of store-based and virtual channels. It offers furniture comprising mattresses, tires, consumer electronics, appliances, tools, handbags, computers, smartphones, and accessories.