Saratoga Investment (NYSE:SAR) Rating Lowered to Neutral at LADENBURG THALM/SH SH

LADENBURG THALM/SH SH lowered shares of Saratoga Investment (NYSE:SAR - Free Report) from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a report published on Thursday morning, Marketbeat reports.

A number of other analysts also recently commented on the company. B. Riley restated a neutral rating and set a $25.00 price objective on shares of Saratoga Investment in a report on Thursday, July 11th. Compass Point upgraded Saratoga Investment from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $24.75 price objective on the stock in a report on Thursday, July 11th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $25.44.

Saratoga Investment Trading Down 3.6 %

Saratoga Investment stock traded down $0.90 during trading on Thursday, hitting $23.94. The company's stock had a trading volume of 109,280 shares, compared to its average volume of 77,788. The stock's fifty day moving average is $23.12 and its 200 day moving average is $23.20. Saratoga Investment has a 1-year low of $21.56 and a 1-year high of $27.00. The stock has a market capitalization of $329.08 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.69 and a beta of 1.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09, a quick ratio of 0.07 and a current ratio of 0.07.

Saratoga Investment (NYSE:SAR - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 9th. The financial services provider reported $1.05 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.97 by $0.08. Saratoga Investment had a net margin of 10.66% and a return on equity of 14.67%. The business had revenue of $38.68 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $36.52 million. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Saratoga Investment will post 3.6 EPS for the current year.

Saratoga Investment Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 26th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, September 11th were paid a $0.74 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, September 11th. This represents a $2.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 12.36%. Saratoga Investment's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 244.63%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Saratoga Investment

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. International Assets Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Saratoga Investment in the second quarter valued at $108,000. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. increased its position in shares of Saratoga Investment by 8.4% during the second quarter. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 9,885 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $225,000 after acquiring an additional 770 shares during the last quarter. Wedbush Securities Inc. increased its position in shares of Saratoga Investment by 12.2% during the second quarter. Wedbush Securities Inc. now owns 9,900 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $225,000 after acquiring an additional 1,075 shares during the last quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Saratoga Investment by 7.9% in the first quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. now owns 11,393 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $264,000 after acquiring an additional 832 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Commonwealth Equity Services LLC boosted its holdings in Saratoga Investment by 8.2% in the second quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 22,224 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $505,000 after purchasing an additional 1,677 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 19.09% of the company's stock.

Saratoga Investment Company Profile

Saratoga Investment Corp. is a business development company specializing in leveraged and management buyouts, acquisition financings, growth financings, recapitalization, debt refinancing, and transitional financing transactions at the lower end of middle market companies. It structures its investments as debt and equity by investing through first and second lien loans, mezzanine debt, co-investments, select high yield bonds, senior secured bonds, unsecured bonds, and preferred and common equity.