Sezzle (NASDAQ:SEZL) Shares Gap Up - Here's What Happened

Sezzle Inc. (NASDAQ:SEZL - Get Free Report)'s share price gapped up before the market opened on Monday . The stock had previously closed at $254.32, but opened at $268.00. Sezzle shares last traded at $289.34, with a volume of 47,934 shares changing hands.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have issued reports on SEZL. B. Riley reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $372.00 target price (up previously from $353.00) on shares of Sezzle in a report on Thursday, December 19th. Northland Securities boosted their target price on Sezzle from $300.00 to $360.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, December 19th.

Sezzle Stock Up 9.7 %

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54, a quick ratio of 2.40 and a current ratio of 2.40. The firm has a market cap of $1.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 35.64 and a beta of 9.56. The firm's fifty day moving average is $264.33 and its 200 day moving average is $226.67.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CFO Karen Hartje sold 3,457 shares of Sezzle stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $316.32, for a total value of $1,093,518.24. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 35,121 shares in the company, valued at $11,109,474.72. The trade was a 8.96 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, Director Paul Paradis sold 4,026 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $400.00, for a total value of $1,610,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 68,846 shares in the company, valued at approximately $27,538,400. The trade was a 5.52 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 11,164 shares of company stock worth $4,303,725. Corporate insiders own 57.65% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Sezzle

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of SEZL. Marshall Wace LLP lifted its stake in Sezzle by 792.3% in the fourth quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 79,983 shares of the company's stock valued at $20,460,000 after purchasing an additional 71,019 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its stake in Sezzle by 191.7% in the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 20,363 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,474,000 after purchasing an additional 13,383 shares in the last quarter. Portolan Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Sezzle during the fourth quarter valued at about $3,368,000. Russell Investments Group Ltd. grew its position in Sezzle by 1,733.1% during the fourth quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 12,447 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,184,000 after acquiring an additional 11,768 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Calamos Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Sezzle in the fourth quarter worth $2,423,000. 2.02% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Sezzle

Sezzle Inc operates as a technology-enabled payments company primarily in the United States and Canada. The company provides payment solution in-store and at online retail stores; and through proprietary payments solution that connects consumers with merchants. It also offers Sezzle Platform that provides a payments solution for consumers that extends credit at the point-of-sale allowing consumers to purchase and receive the ordered merchandise at the time of sale while paying in installments over time; Pay-in-Four, which allows consumers to pay a fourth of the purchase price up front and then another fourth of the purchase price every two weeks thereafter over a total of six weeks; Pay-in-Full that allows consumers to pay for the full value of their order up-front through the Sezzle Platform without the extension of credit; and Pay-in-Two and other alternative installment options, which allow consumer to pay half of the value of their order up-front and the second half in two weeks.