Royal Bank of Canada (TSE:RY) Stock Crosses Above 200 Day Moving Average - Time to Sell?

Royal Bank of Canada (TSE:RY - Get Free Report) NYSE: RY's share price passed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Friday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of C$164.21 and traded as high as C$174.42. Royal Bank of Canada shares last traded at C$170.92, with a volume of 3,929,527 shares trading hands.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have issued reports on RY. Barclays upgraded shares of Royal Bank of Canada from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. National Bankshares lifted their price objective on Royal Bank of Canada from C$181.00 to C$188.00 in a research report on Thursday, December 5th. Scotiabank boosted their target price on Royal Bank of Canada from C$167.00 to C$197.00 in a research note on Monday, November 25th. BMO Capital Markets cut their price target on Royal Bank of Canada from C$195.00 to C$193.00 in a research note on Thursday, December 5th. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group boosted their price target on Royal Bank of Canada from C$188.00 to C$191.00 in a research note on Thursday, December 5th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and three have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Buy" and an average price target of C$176.58.

Royal Bank of Canada Price Performance

The stock's 50 day moving average price is C$174.04 and its two-hundred day moving average price is C$164.21. The firm has a market capitalization of C$241.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.14, a PEG ratio of 3.42 and a beta of 0.84.

Royal Bank of Canada Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 24th. Shareholders of record on Monday, January 27th will be given a dividend of $1.48 per share. This is a positive change from Royal Bank of Canada's previous quarterly dividend of $1.42. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, January 27th. This represents a $5.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.46%. Royal Bank of Canada's payout ratio is currently 50.31%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Royal Bank of Canada

In other news, Senior Officer Douglas Antony Guzman sold 1,538 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$177.09, for a total transaction of C$272,363.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 25 shares in the company, valued at C$4,427.24. The trade was a 98.40 % decrease in their ownership of the stock.

About Royal Bank of Canada

Royal Bank of Canada operates as a diversified financial service company worldwide. The company's Personal & Commercial Banking segment offers checking and savings accounts, home equity financing, personal lending, private banking, indirect lending, including auto financing, mutual funds and self-directed brokerage accounts, guaranteed investment certificates, credit cards, and payment products and solutions; and lending, leasing, deposit, investment, foreign exchange, cash management, auto dealer financing, trade products, and services to small and medium-sized commercial businesses.