Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE:ICE) Hits New 12-Month High - Here's Why

Shares of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE - Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as high as $169.78 and last traded at $168.67, with a volume of 67772 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $168.57.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have weighed in on ICE shares. Barclays increased their price objective on Intercontinental Exchange from $179.00 to $189.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday, February 7th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their price target on Intercontinental Exchange from $178.00 to $186.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, February 7th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price objective on shares of Intercontinental Exchange from $160.00 to $163.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, November 11th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on shares of Intercontinental Exchange from $190.00 to $189.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 17th. Finally, StockNews.com raised shares of Intercontinental Exchange from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, February 10th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $178.80.

Intercontinental Exchange Trading Down 0.3 %

The firm has a market cap of $95.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.79, a PEG ratio of 3.21 and a beta of 1.11. The business has a fifty day moving average of $154.63 and a two-hundred day moving average of $157.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a current ratio of 0.99.

Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE:ICE - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 6th. The financial services provider reported $1.52 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.53 by ($0.01). Intercontinental Exchange had a net margin of 23.42% and a return on equity of 12.95%. As a group, equities analysts expect that Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. will post 6.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Intercontinental Exchange Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, December 31st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 16th will be issued a $0.48 dividend. This represents a $1.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.15%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, December 16th. Intercontinental Exchange's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 37.66%.

Insider Activity

In other news, President Benjamin Jackson sold 5,828 shares of Intercontinental Exchange stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $160.00, for a total transaction of $932,480.00. Following the completion of the sale, the president now directly owns 156,163 shares in the company, valued at $24,986,080. The trade was a 3.60 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, COO Stuart Glen Williams sold 750 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $152.99, for a total transaction of $114,742.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 12,780 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,955,212.20. This represents a 5.54 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 34,358 shares of company stock worth $5,535,650 over the last ninety days. 1.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in ICE. Vise Technologies Inc. lifted its position in Intercontinental Exchange by 71.8% during the fourth quarter. Vise Technologies Inc. now owns 7,389 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $1,101,000 after buying an additional 3,087 shares during the period. City National Bank of Florida MSD acquired a new position in shares of Intercontinental Exchange during the 4th quarter valued at about $207,000. Inspire Trust Co. N.A. lifted its holdings in shares of Intercontinental Exchange by 25.0% during the 4th quarter. Inspire Trust Co. N.A. now owns 15,000 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $2,235,000 after acquiring an additional 3,000 shares during the period. Mosaic Family Wealth Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Intercontinental Exchange by 10.8% during the 4th quarter. Mosaic Family Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,379 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $206,000 after acquiring an additional 134 shares during the period. Finally, BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp boosted its position in shares of Intercontinental Exchange by 14.9% in the fourth quarter. BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp now owns 109,939 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $16,382,000 after acquiring an additional 14,236 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.30% of the company's stock.

Intercontinental Exchange Company Profile

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of market infrastructure, data services, and technology solutions for financial institutions, corporations, and government entities in the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Singapore, India, Abu Dhabi, Israel, and Canada.