Maximus (NYSE:MMS) Hits New 1-Year High – Still a Buy?

Shares of Maximus, Inc. (NYSE:MMS) hit a new 52-week high during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $99.14 and last traded at $98.1320, with a volume of 15962 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $98.32.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MMS has been the subject of several research reports. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Maximus in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Zacks Research upgraded Maximus from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and one has assigned a Buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Strong Buy”.

Maximus Trading Down 0.2%

The firm has a market capitalization of $5.34 billion, a PE ratio of 17.65 and a beta of 0.56. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $87.16 and a 200 day moving average of $84.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 1.64 and a current ratio of 1.64.

Maximus (NYSE:MMS) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, November 20th. The health services provider reported $1.62 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.63 by ($0.01). Maximus had a return on equity of 25.23% and a net margin of 5.87%.The firm had revenue of $1.32 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.34 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.46 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. Maximus has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.950-8.250 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Maximus, Inc. will post 6.15 EPS for the current year.

Maximus Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 2nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be paid a dividend of $0.33 per share. This is a boost from Maximus’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.30. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 13th. This represents a $1.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.3%. Maximus’s payout ratio is 21.58%.

Insider Activity at Maximus

In other news, insider Michelle F. Link sold 4,039 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $86.84, for a total transaction of $350,746.76. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 19,542 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,697,027.28. This trade represents a 17.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 1.60% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Maximus

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Richardson Financial Services Inc. grew its stake in Maximus by 123.1% in the third quarter. Richardson Financial Services Inc. now owns 348 shares of the health services provider’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 192 shares in the last quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC bought a new position in Maximus during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $32,000. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board bought a new position in Maximus during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $35,000. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Maximus in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $38,000. Finally, Danske Bank A S bought a new stake in shares of Maximus in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $55,000. Institutional investors own 97.21% of the company’s stock.

Maximus Company Profile

Maximus, Inc (NYSE: MMS) is a global provider of government services focused on delivering health and human services programs. The company partners with federal, state, and local agencies to administer and manage programs that support individuals and families across various stages of life. Key service areas include eligibility determination and enrollment services for Medicaid, Medicare, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and other public assistance programs, as well as call center operations, case management and program integrity solutions.