Ziff Davis, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZD) Stock Has Consensus Target Price of $59.75 According to Brokerages

Ziff Davis, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZD) has been assigned an average recommendation of “Hold” from the nine research firms that are covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $59.75.

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. began coverage on shares of Ziff Davis in a report on Friday, September 11th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $60.00 price target on the stock. Zacks Research raised Ziff Davis to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 15th. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their target price on Ziff Davis from $48.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, August 10th. Susquehanna boosted their price target on Ziff Davis from $60.00 to $75.00 and gave the company a “positive” rating in a research report on Monday, August 10th. Finally, Evercore restated an “outperform” rating and set a $64.00 price target on shares of Ziff Davis in a research note on Monday, August 10th.

Ziff Davis Trading Down 2.2%

NASDAQ ZD opened at $54.77 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $1.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 3.10 and a beta of 1.11. Ziff Davis has a 12 month low of $22.45 and a 12 month high of $60.48. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 2.16 and a quick ratio of 2.16. The company has a 50-day moving average of $55.59 and a 200-day moving average of $49.73.

Ziff Davis (NASDAQ:ZD) last released its earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The technology company reported $1.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.81 by $0.22. Ziff Davis had a net margin of 48.57% and a return on equity of 10.73%. The business had revenue of $286.74 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $286.10 million. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.24 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 18.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts predict that Ziff Davis will post 4.26 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Jeremy Rossen sold 3,819 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $54.93, for a total transaction of $209,777.67. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 10,643 shares in the company, valued at approximately $584,619.99. The trade was a 26.41% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director W. Brian Kretzmer sold 2,513 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $55.31, for a total transaction of $138,994.03. Following the sale, the director directly owned 20,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,106,200. This trade represents a 11.16% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 7,732 shares of company stock valued at $425,436 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 3.40% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ziff Davis

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. QRG Capital Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Ziff Davis by 5.2% in the 2nd quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 6,358 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $333,000 after purchasing an additional 316 shares in the last quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio lifted its stake in Ziff Davis by 17.1% during the first quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 2,189 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $92,000 after purchasing an additional 319 shares during the last quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. boosted its holdings in Ziff Davis by 212.2% during the fourth quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 868 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 590 shares in the last quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. boosted its holdings in Ziff Davis by 226.7% during the fourth quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 990 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $35,000 after buying an additional 687 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Allworth Financial LP acquired a new position in Ziff Davis in the second quarter worth approximately $44,000. 99.76% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Ziff Davis Company Profile

Ziff Davis, Inc (NASDAQ:ZD) is a digital media and technology company that creates content, services and online experiences for consumers and businesses. Its portfolio spans technology, gaming and entertainment, shopping, health and wellness, and cybersecurity and marketing technology.

The company operates a range of digital brands and platforms, including IGN, PCMag, Mashable, Lifehacker, RetailMeNot, Ookla, Spiceworks and Humble Bundle. Its offerings include editorial content and reviews, consumer purchase guidance, gaming and entertainment coverage, internet-performance testing, software and data services, and business-to-business marketing solutions.

Ziff Davis traces its origins to the magazine publisher founded in 1927 by William Bernard Ziff and Bernard G.