Sezzle Inc. (NASDAQ:SEZL) Sees Large Increase in Short Interest

Sezzle Inc. (NASDAQ:SEZL) was the recipient of a significant growth in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totalling 159,700 shares, a growth of 84.8% from the November 30th total of 86,400 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 117,900 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 1.4 days. Currently, 5.0% of the shares of the stock are short sold.

Sezzle Trading Down 2.7 %

Shares of NASDAQ SEZL traded down $7.25 during trading on Friday, reaching $265.06. The company had a trading volume of 95,853 shares, compared to its average volume of 92,933. Sezzle has a 12 month low of $16.23 and a 12 month high of $477.52. The company has a quick ratio of 2.40, a current ratio of 2.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54. The stock has a market cap of $1.49 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.20 and a beta of 9.23. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $315.50 and its 200-day moving average price is $187.07.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on SEZL shares. Northland Securities upped their target price on Sezzle from $300.00 to $360.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, December 19th. B. Riley reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $372.00 price objective (up previously from $353.00) on shares of Sezzle in a report on Thursday, December 19th.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Kyle M. Brehm purchased 110 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 5th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $360.00 per share, with a total value of $39,600.00. Following the acquisition, the director now owns 3,718 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,338,480. This trade represents a 3.05 % increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, COO Amin Sabzivand sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, October 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $187.00, for a total transaction of $280,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 48,360 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $9,043,320. The trade was a 3.01 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 28,339 shares of company stock worth $6,760,504 over the last three months. Insiders own 57.65% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of SEZL. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Sezzle by 191.7% in the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 20,363 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,474,000 after buying an additional 13,383 shares during the period. Virtu Financial LLC acquired a new stake in Sezzle during the third quarter worth approximately $276,000. Principal Financial Group Inc. bought a new stake in Sezzle in the third quarter worth approximately $548,000. Navellier & Associates Inc. acquired a new position in Sezzle in the third quarter valued at approximately $1,217,000. Finally, XTX Topco Ltd bought a new position in shares of Sezzle during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $544,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 2.02% of the company’s stock.

About Sezzle

Sezzle Inc operates as a technology-enabled payments company primarily in the United States and Canada. The company provides payment solution in-store and at online retail stores; and through proprietary payments solution that connects consumers with merchants. It also offers Sezzle Platform that provides a payments solution for consumers that extends credit at the point-of-sale allowing consumers to purchase and receive the ordered merchandise at the time of sale while paying in installments over time; Pay-in-Four, which allows consumers to pay a fourth of the purchase price up front and then another fourth of the purchase price every two weeks thereafter over a total of six weeks; Pay-in-Full that allows consumers to pay for the full value of their order up-front through the Sezzle Platform without the extension of credit; and Pay-in-Two and other alternative installment options, which allow consumer to pay half of the value of their order up-front and the second half in two weeks.