StockNews.com Begins Coverage on Big Lots (NYSE:BIG)

StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Big Lots (NYSE:BIG) in a research report sent to investors on Monday morning. The brokerage issued a sell rating on the stock.

Several other analysts also recently weighed in on BIG. Loop Capital upgraded shares of Big Lots from a sell rating to a hold rating and set a $1.00 target price for the company in a report on Thursday, July 11th. Telsey Advisory Group reduced their price target on shares of Big Lots from $2.50 to $1.50 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research report on Monday, August 5th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and two have assigned a hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Reduce and a consensus target price of $2.50.

Big Lots Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 7.05, a current ratio of 1.39 and a quick ratio of 0.16. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $0.92 and a 200 day simple moving average of $2.56. Big Lots has a 12 month low of $0.30 and a 12 month high of $8.41. The stock has a market cap of $8.82 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -0.02 and a beta of 2.20.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Big Lots

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of BIG. GSA Capital Partners LLP increased its position in shares of Big Lots by 244.7% in the first quarter. GSA Capital Partners LLP now owns 461,188 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,997,000 after acquiring an additional 327,397 shares in the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP boosted its stake in Big Lots by 1,132.9% during the 2nd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 200,960 shares of the company’s stock valued at $348,000 after acquiring an additional 184,660 shares during the last quarter. Squarepoint Ops LLC bought a new position in Big Lots during the 2nd quarter valued at $269,000. BNP Paribas Financial Markets boosted its stake in Big Lots by 84.9% during the 1st quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 124,991 shares of the company’s stock valued at $541,000 after acquiring an additional 57,402 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Big Lots by 3.7% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 1,598,679 shares of the company’s stock worth $6,922,000 after buying an additional 56,540 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.96% of the company’s stock.

Big Lots Company Profile

Big Lots, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates as a home discount retailer in the United States. The company offers products under various merchandising categories, such as furniture category that includes upholstery, mattresses, home décor, case goods, and ready-to-assemble departments; seasonal category, which comprises patio furniture, gazebos, Christmas trim, lawn and garden, and other holiday departments; soft home category consists of apparel, hosiery, jewelry; frames, fashion and utility bedding, bath, window, decorative textiles, and area rugs departments; and food category that includes beverages and grocery, specialty foods, and candy and snacks departments.