Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDAQ:WBA) Trading 1.9% Higher – Still a Buy?

Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBA)’s share price was up 1.9% on Monday . The company traded as high as $9.48 and last traded at $9.44. Approximately 3,288,017 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 81% from the average daily volume of 17,256,920 shares. The stock had previously closed at $9.26.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. TD Cowen reduced their price objective on shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance from $16.00 to $14.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, October 22nd. Evercore ISI raised their target price on Walgreens Boots Alliance from $7.50 to $10.00 and gave the company an “in-line” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. Bank of America lowered their target price on shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance from $11.00 to $7.50 and set an “underperform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, September 4th. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on Walgreens Boots Alliance from $9.00 to $7.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 11th. Finally, Barclays increased their target price on shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance from $7.00 to $8.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $12.88.

Walgreens Boots Alliance Trading Up 2.7 %

The company has a current ratio of 0.68, a quick ratio of 0.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67. The stock has a market cap of $8.22 billion, a PE ratio of -0.94, a PEG ratio of 1.20 and a beta of 0.70. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $9.31 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $12.73.

Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDAQ:WBA) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 15th. The pharmacy operator reported $0.39 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.36 by $0.03. Walgreens Boots Alliance had a negative net margin of 5.85% and a positive return on equity of 14.23%. The firm had revenue of $37.50 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $35.75 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.67 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts expect that Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. will post 1.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Walgreens Boots Alliance Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 12th. Investors of record on Monday, November 18th will be issued a dividend of $0.25 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, November 18th. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 10.52%. Walgreens Boots Alliance’s dividend payout ratio is -9.99%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Walgreens Boots Alliance

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. New Covenant Trust Company N.A. purchased a new stake in Walgreens Boots Alliance during the 1st quarter valued at about $35,000. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance by 162.5% in the second quarter. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,100 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 1,300 shares during the period. FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Walgreens Boots Alliance by 60.4% during the 1st quarter. FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC now owns 2,130 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock valued at $46,000 after buying an additional 802 shares during the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. raised its stake in shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance by 87.0% during the second quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 2,324 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 1,081 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Continuum Advisory LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance by 71.2% during the second quarter. Continuum Advisory LLC now owns 2,453 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 1,020 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 58.59% of the company’s stock.

Walgreens Boots Alliance Company Profile

Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc operates as a healthcare, pharmacy, and retail company in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and internationally. It operates through three segments: U.S. Retail Pharmacy, International, and U.S. Healthcare. The U.S. Retail Pharmacy segment engages in operation of the retail drugstores, health and wellness services, specialty, and home delivery pharmacy services, which offers health and wellness, beauty, personal care and consumables, and general merchandise.