Saratoga Investment (NYSE:SAR) Downgraded to “Hold” Rating by StockNews.com

StockNews.com cut shares of Saratoga Investment (NYSE:SAR) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report report published on Saturday morning.

Several other research analysts have also commented on SAR. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH lowered Saratoga Investment from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, October 10th. Oppenheimer boosted their target price on shares of Saratoga Investment from $23.00 to $25.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a report on Thursday, October 10th. B. Riley restated a “neutral” rating and set a $25.00 price target on shares of Saratoga Investment in a report on Thursday, October 10th. Finally, Compass Point decreased their price objective on Saratoga Investment from $26.25 to $25.25 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, January 13th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Saratoga Investment presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $25.08.

Saratoga Investment Stock Performance

SAR opened at $24.88 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $357.06 million, a PE ratio of 10.03 and a beta of 1.33. The company has a current ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 0.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14. Saratoga Investment has a twelve month low of $21.56 and a twelve month high of $26.49. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $24.58 and its 200 day moving average price is $23.75.

Saratoga Investment (NYSE:SAR) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 8th. The financial services provider reported $0.90 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.82 by $0.08. Saratoga Investment had a return on equity of 15.53% and a net margin of 22.01%. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Saratoga Investment will post 3.87 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Saratoga Investment Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a None dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 19th. Investors of record on Wednesday, December 4th were given a dividend of $1.09 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 4th. This represents a dividend yield of 11.9%. Saratoga Investment’s payout ratio is currently 119.35%.

Institutional Trading of Saratoga Investment

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. International Assets Investment Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Saratoga Investment by 2,268.4% in the third quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 112,238 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $2,603,000 after buying an additional 107,499 shares in the last quarter. Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC acquired a new position in Saratoga Investment in the 3rd quarter valued at about $1,450,000. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. grew its position in Saratoga Investment by 14.4% in the 3rd quarter. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. now owns 138,185 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $3,205,000 after acquiring an additional 17,379 shares in the last quarter. PVG Asset Management Corp acquired a new stake in shares of Saratoga Investment during the third quarter worth about $236,000. Finally, Janney Montgomery Scott LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Saratoga Investment during the fourth quarter worth about $212,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 19.09% of the company’s stock.

About Saratoga Investment

Saratoga Investment Corp. is a business development company specializing in leveraged and management buyouts, acquisition financings, growth financings, recapitalization, debt refinancing, and transitional financing transactions at the lower end of middle market companies. It structures its investments as debt and equity by investing through first and second lien loans, mezzanine debt, co-investments, select high yield bonds, senior secured bonds, unsecured bonds, and preferred and common equity.