Inspire Investing LLC Grows Position in Scholastic Co. (NASDAQ:SCHL)

Inspire Investing LLC raised its stake in Scholastic Co. (NASDAQ:SCHL) by 43.0% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 20,270 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 6,096 shares during the quarter. Inspire Investing LLC owned 0.07% of Scholastic worth $432,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Meeder Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Scholastic in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $46,000. FMR LLC grew its stake in shares of Scholastic by 58.8% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 2,346 shares of the company’s stock valued at $75,000 after purchasing an additional 869 shares during the last quarter. Paloma Partners Management Co purchased a new position in shares of Scholastic in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $243,000. BNP Paribas Financial Markets grew its stake in shares of Scholastic by 99.6% in the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 9,711 shares of the company’s stock valued at $311,000 after purchasing an additional 4,845 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Victory Capital Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of Scholastic by 54.6% in the 3rd quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 11,049 shares of the company’s stock valued at $354,000 after purchasing an additional 3,900 shares during the last quarter. 82.57% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, StockNews.com cut Scholastic from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, October 5th.

Scholastic Stock Up 2.8 %

SCHL opened at $20.44 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25, a current ratio of 1.24 and a quick ratio of 0.81. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $23.07 and a 200-day simple moving average of $27.34. The stock has a market capitalization of $574.38 million, a P/E ratio of -113.55 and a beta of 1.10. Scholastic Co. has a 12 month low of $18.57 and a 12 month high of $40.74.

Scholastic (NASDAQ:SCHL) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 19th. The company reported $1.82 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.30 by ($0.48). Scholastic had a negative net margin of 0.27% and a positive return on equity of 1.91%. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Scholastic Co. will post 0.84 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Scholastic Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 14th. Investors of record on Friday, January 31st will be issued a dividend of $0.20 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 31st. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.91%. Scholastic’s dividend payout ratio is presently -444.44%.

Scholastic Profile

Scholastic Corporation publishes and distributes children’s books worldwide. It operates in three segments: Children’s Book Publishing and Distribution, Education Solutions, and International. The Children’s Book Publishing and Distribution segment engages in publication and distribution of children’s print, digital, and audio books, as well as media and interactive products through its school reading events and trade channel; and operation of school-based book clubs and book fairs in the United States.