The Goldman Sachs Group Upgrades Hyatt Hotels (NYSE:H) to Strong-Buy

Hyatt Hotels (NYSE:H) was upgraded by The Goldman Sachs Group to a “strong-buy” rating in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, MarketBeat.com reports. The firm presently has a $198.00 price target on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group’s target price points to a potential upside of 17.90% from the company’s current price.

Several other research analysts also recently weighed in on H. Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on shares of Hyatt Hotels from $154.00 to $156.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 20th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Hyatt Hotels in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Barclays upgraded Hyatt Hotels from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $161.00 to $200.00 in a report on Wednesday, December 17th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. initiated coverage on shares of Hyatt Hotels in a research note on Monday, November 24th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $178.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $188.00 price target on shares of Hyatt Hotels in a report on Friday, January 2nd. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $169.63.

Hyatt Hotels Trading Down 1.0%

NYSE:H opened at $167.94 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $15.95 billion, a P/E ratio of -180.57, a P/E/G ratio of 1.88 and a beta of 1.29. Hyatt Hotels has a 52 week low of $102.43 and a 52 week high of $174.58. The company has a quick ratio of 0.68, a current ratio of 0.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.47. The company has a fifty day moving average of $161.17 and a 200 day moving average of $149.87.

Hyatt Hotels (NYSE:H) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The company reported ($0.30) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.49 by ($0.79). Hyatt Hotels had a negative net margin of 1.27% and a positive return on equity of 3.22%. The company had revenue of $1.50 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.82 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.94 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts predict that Hyatt Hotels will post 3.05 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, insider Javier Aguila sold 9,548 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $165.87, for a total transaction of $1,583,726.76. Following the sale, the insider owned 2,684 shares in the company, valued at $445,195.08. This trade represents a 78.06% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, insider Peter Sears sold 12,394 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $155.51, for a total transaction of $1,927,390.94. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 5,594 shares in the company, valued at approximately $869,922.94. This represents a 68.90% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 33,383 shares of company stock worth $5,321,682 in the last ninety days. Insiders own 23.70% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Hyatt Hotels

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Johnson Financial Group Inc. grew its stake in Hyatt Hotels by 450.0% during the 3rd quarter. Johnson Financial Group Inc. now owns 176 shares of the company’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 144 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Hyatt Hotels by 98.2% during the third quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 216 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 107 shares during the period. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB grew its position in Hyatt Hotels by 86.7% during the second quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 239 shares of the company’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 111 shares in the last quarter. Quent Capital LLC acquired a new position in Hyatt Hotels in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Finally, Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC purchased a new stake in Hyatt Hotels in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Institutional investors own 73.54% of the company’s stock.

Hyatt Hotels Company Profile

Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) is a global hospitality company that develops, owns, manages and franchises luxury and business hotels, resorts and vacation properties. Its portfolio spans a range of price points and styles under brands such as Park Hyatt, Grand Hyatt, Andaz, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Centric, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Thompson Hotels, Alila and Destination by Hyatt. In addition to accommodations, the company provides meeting and event spaces, food and beverage outlets, spa and wellness centers, and a variety of guest services designed to cater to both leisure and business travelers.

Hyatt’s business model combines property ownership, management contracts and third-party franchising.