Analysts Set The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (NYSE:IPG) Target Price at $33.50

Shares of The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (NYSE:IPG - Get Free Report) have received an average rating of "Hold" from the ten research firms that are covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, four have issued a hold recommendation and five have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month target price among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $33.67.

A number of analysts recently commented on the company. Barclays upgraded Interpublic Group of Companies from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $32.00 to $36.00 in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Citigroup reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $35.00 price target on shares of Interpublic Group of Companies in a report on Tuesday. BNP Paribas raised shares of Interpublic Group of Companies from an "underperform" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $38.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Friday, January 10th. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Interpublic Group of Companies in a research note on Thursday, April 10th. They set a "hold" rating on the stock. Finally, Argus cut shares of Interpublic Group of Companies from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 18th.

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Interpublic Group of Companies Price Performance

Shares of IPG traded down $1.06 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $24.08. 1,671,563 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,071,077. The company has a quick ratio of 1.09, a current ratio of 1.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77. Interpublic Group of Companies has a 52-week low of $22.51 and a 52-week high of $33.05. The company has a market cap of $8.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.17 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $26.33 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $28.31.

Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE:IPG - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The business services provider reported $1.11 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.15 by ($0.04). Interpublic Group of Companies had a net margin of 6.45% and a return on equity of 27.10%. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Interpublic Group of Companies will post 2.66 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Interpublic Group of Companies declared that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock repurchase program on Wednesday, February 12th that permits the company to repurchase $155.00 million in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization permits the business services provider to purchase up to 1.6% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are often a sign that the company's management believes its stock is undervalued.

Interpublic Group of Companies Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 17th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 3rd were paid a dividend of $0.33 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 3rd. This represents a $1.32 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.48%. Interpublic Group of Companies's dividend payout ratio is presently 72.13%.

Insider Activity at Interpublic Group of Companies

In related news, CFO Ellen Tobi Johnson sold 21,427 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.82, for a total value of $574,672.14. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 143,373 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,845,263.86. This trade represents a 13.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.42% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Interpublic Group of Companies

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Donaldson Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Interpublic Group of Companies by 19.9% during the 1st quarter. Donaldson Capital Management LLC now owns 31,532 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $856,000 after acquiring an additional 5,226 shares in the last quarter. CX Institutional purchased a new position in Interpublic Group of Companies in the first quarter valued at about $179,000. SG Americas Securities LLC lifted its stake in shares of Interpublic Group of Companies by 462.1% during the first quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 114,134 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $3,100,000 after purchasing an additional 93,829 shares in the last quarter. International Private Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Interpublic Group of Companies by 7.5% in the first quarter. International Private Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 10,133 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $275,000 after buying an additional 711 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Tounjian Advisory Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Interpublic Group of Companies during the 1st quarter valued at about $934,000. 98.43% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Interpublic Group of Companies Company Profile

The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc provides advertising and marketing services worldwide. It operates in three segments: Media, Data & Engagement Solutions, Integrated Advertising & Creativity Led Solutions, and Specialized Communications & Experiential Solutions. The Media, Data & Engagement Solutions segment provides media and communications services, digital services and products, advertising and marketing technology, e-commerce services, data management and analytics, strategic consulting, and digital brand experience under the IPG Mediabrands, UM, Initiative, Kinesso, Acxiom, Huge, MRM, and R/GA brand names.