Fidus Investment (NASDAQ:FDUS) Hits New 1-Year High - Should You Buy?

Fidus Investment Co. (NASDAQ:FDUS - Get Free Report)'s stock price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $22.10 and last traded at $21.87, with a volume of 170813 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $22.00.

Fidus Investment Price Performance

The company has a fifty day moving average of $21.07 and a 200-day moving average of $20.15. The firm has a market capitalization of $750.99 million, a PE ratio of 7.91 and a beta of 1.39.

Fidus Investment (NASDAQ:FDUS - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 31st. The asset manager reported $0.61 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.57 by $0.04. The firm had revenue of $38.38 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $36.43 million. Fidus Investment had a net margin of 60.09% and a return on equity of 12.11%. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.68 earnings per share. Equities analysts anticipate that Fidus Investment Co. will post 2.28 EPS for the current year.

Fidus Investment Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 27th. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 17th were given a dividend of $0.61 per share. This represents a $2.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 11.02%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, December 17th. This is a boost from Fidus Investment's previous quarterly dividend of $0.57. Fidus Investment's payout ratio is currently 61.43%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Fidus Investment

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of FDUS. Van ECK Associates Corp increased its stake in Fidus Investment by 11.5% during the third quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 809,411 shares of the asset manager's stock valued at $15,808,000 after acquiring an additional 83,538 shares during the period. Cetera Investment Advisers increased its position in shares of Fidus Investment by 18.1% during the second quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 233,826 shares of the asset manager's stock valued at $4,555,000 after purchasing an additional 35,861 shares during the period. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Fidus Investment during the third quarter valued at approximately $683,000. Riverbridge Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Fidus Investment in the fourth quarter valued at $716,000. Finally, Envestnet Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in Fidus Investment by 17.4% in the second quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 225,904 shares of the asset manager's stock worth $4,401,000 after purchasing an additional 33,474 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 28.14% of the company's stock.

About Fidus Investment

Fidus Investment Corporation is a business development company. It specializing in leveraged buyouts, refinancings, change of ownership transactions, recapitalizations, strategic acquisitions, mezzanine, growth capital, business expansion, lower middle market investments, debt investments, subordinated and second lien loans, senior secured and unitranche debt, preferred equity, warrants, subordinated debt, senior subordinated notes, junior secured loans, and unitranche loans.