Vantage Consulting Group Inc Makes New Investment in Potbelly Co. (NASDAQ:PBPB)

Vantage Consulting Group Inc bought a new stake in Potbelly Co. (NASDAQ:PBPB - Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm bought 164,875 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,553,000. Potbelly accounts for approximately 14.8% of Vantage Consulting Group Inc's holdings, making the stock its 4th largest position. Vantage Consulting Group Inc owned about 0.55% of Potbelly at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in PBPB. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its holdings in Potbelly by 122.6% during the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 67,053 shares of the company's stock valued at $559,000 after purchasing an additional 36,930 shares during the last quarter. Cerity Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Potbelly in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $2,332,000. Sanctuary Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Potbelly during the 4th quarter worth approximately $520,000. Barclays PLC raised its position in Potbelly by 247.8% in the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 39,780 shares of the company's stock valued at $332,000 after purchasing an additional 28,342 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hodges Capital Management Inc. raised its position in Potbelly by 42.1% in the 4th quarter. Hodges Capital Management Inc. now owns 539,915 shares of the company's stock worth $5,086,000 after purchasing an additional 159,900 shares during the last quarter. 72.60% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Potbelly Stock Down 5.9 %

PBPB stock traded down $0.58 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $9.29. The company's stock had a trading volume of 72,750 shares, compared to its average volume of 211,423. The company's fifty day moving average price is $11.32 and its 200 day moving average price is $9.89. Potbelly Co. has a twelve month low of $6.28 and a twelve month high of $13.48. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06, a current ratio of 0.49 and a quick ratio of 0.43. The stock has a market capitalization of $277.59 million, a P/E ratio of 7.43 and a beta of 1.50.

Insider Buying and Selling at Potbelly

In other Potbelly news, major shareholder David Nierenberg purchased 22,169 shares of Potbelly stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 28th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $9.36 per share, for a total transaction of $207,501.84. Following the completion of the acquisition, the insider now owns 124,167 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,162,203.12. This trade represents a 21.73 % increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Corporate insiders own 9.10% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have weighed in on the company. Benchmark reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $16.00 target price on shares of Potbelly in a research note on Friday, March 7th. StockNews.com cut shares of Potbelly from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, March 26th. Finally, William Blair reissued a "market perform" rating on shares of Potbelly in a report on Thursday, March 20th.

About Potbelly

Potbelly Corporation, through its subsidiaries, owns, operates, and franchises Potbelly sandwich shops in the United States. The company was formerly known as Potbelly Sandwich Works, Inc and changed its name to Potbelly Corporation in 2002. Potbelly Corporation was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.