The GEO Group (NYSE:GEO) Shares Up 3.4% - Time to Buy?

The GEO Group, Inc. (NYSE:GEO - Get Free Report) rose 3.4% during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $28.66 and last traded at $28.49. Approximately 301,854 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 89% from the average daily volume of 2,697,403 shares. The stock had previously closed at $27.54.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms recently issued reports on GEO. Noble Financial downgraded shares of The GEO Group from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating in a report on Monday, November 11th. Northland Securities lifted their price target on shares of The GEO Group from $16.00 to $37.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, November 8th. Finally, Wedbush reissued an "outperform" rating on shares of The GEO Group in a research report on Tuesday, December 17th.

The GEO Group Trading Up 1.6 %

The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $24.73 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $17.70. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.91 billion, a PE ratio of 96.49, a PEG ratio of 3.32 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.25, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a current ratio of 1.10.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On The GEO Group

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of GEO. Arizona State Retirement System boosted its position in shares of The GEO Group by 2.5% during the second quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 35,525 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $510,000 after acquiring an additional 862 shares during the last quarter. Creative Planning grew its position in shares of The GEO Group by 9.0% during the third quarter. Creative Planning now owns 11,096 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock valued at $143,000 after purchasing an additional 919 shares in the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its position in The GEO Group by 38.5% during the third quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 6,874 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock valued at $88,000 after acquiring an additional 1,910 shares during the last quarter. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of The GEO Group in the third quarter valued at $25,000. Finally, Maryland State Retirement & Pension System lifted its holdings in shares of The GEO Group by 4.8% in the 2nd quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System now owns 46,473 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock worth $667,000 after acquiring an additional 2,119 shares during the last quarter. 76.10% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

The GEO Group Company Profile

The GEO Group, Inc NYSE: GEO engages in ownership, leasing, and management of secure facilities, processing centers, and community-based reentry facilities in the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and South Africa. The company also provides secure facility management services, including the provision of security, administrative, rehabilitation, education, and food services; reentry services, such as temporary housing, programming, employment assistance, and other services; electronic monitoring and supervision services; and transportation services; as well as designs, constructs, and finances new facilities through projects.