H&R Block (NYSE:HRB) Cut to "Hold" at StockNews.com

H&R Block (NYSE:HRB - Get Free Report) was downgraded by analysts at StockNews.com from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note issued to investors on Thursday.

Separately, Barrington Research reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and set a $70.00 price objective on shares of H&R Block in a report on Wednesday, February 5th.

H&R Block Stock Up 0.5 %

Shares of HRB traded up $0.29 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $52.62. 1,219,215 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,171,457. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $54.16 and a two-hundred day moving average of $58.54. H&R Block has a twelve month low of $45.64 and a twelve month high of $68.45. The stock has a market cap of $7.21 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.49, a P/E/G ratio of 0.82 and a beta of 0.69. The company has a quick ratio of 0.77, a current ratio of 0.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 16.46.

H&R Block (NYSE:HRB - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 4th. The company reported ($1.73) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($1.59) by ($0.14). H&R Block had a negative return on equity of 179.15% and a net margin of 14.71%. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that H&R Block will post 5.27 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Trading of H&R Block

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of HRB. Eastern Bank bought a new stake in H&R Block in the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Endeavor Private Wealth Inc. bought a new stake in H&R Block in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Spire Wealth Management bought a new stake in H&R Block in the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. bought a new stake in H&R Block in the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Finally, Bogart Wealth LLC raised its stake in shares of H&R Block by 606.1% in the 3rd quarter. Bogart Wealth LLC now owns 466 shares of the company's stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 400 shares in the last quarter. 90.14% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About H&R Block

H&R Block, Inc engages in the provision of tax return preparation solutions, financial products and small business solutions. The company was founded by Henry W. Bloch and Richard A. Bloch on January 25, 1955, and is headquartered in Kansas City, MO.