Vector Group (NYSE:VGR – Get Rating) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Barclays from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a report released on Thursday, The Fly reports. The brokerage presently has a $16.00 price target on the stock, up from their previous price target of $12.00. Barclays’s price target indicates a potential upside of 50.94% from the company’s current price.
Several other research analysts have also recently commented on VGR. Zacks Investment Research cut Vector Group from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 25th. StockNews.com began coverage on Vector Group in a report on Thursday. They set a “buy” rating on the stock. Finally, Oppenheimer cut their target price on Vector Group from $18.00 to $13.50 in a report on Friday, January 21st.
Shares of Vector Group stock opened at $10.60 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $1.63 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.46 and a beta of 1.11. Vector Group has a 52-week low of $10.03 and a 52-week high of $17.39. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $11.03 and a 200-day simple moving average of $13.03.
Vector Group (NYSE:VGR – Get Rating) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, March 1st. The company reported $0.26 EPS for the quarter, missing the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $0.34 by ($0.08). The company had revenue of $313.67 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $612.20 million. Vector Group had a net margin of 9.80% and a negative return on equity of 35.40%. On average, equities research analysts predict that Vector Group will post 1.13 EPS for the current year.
In related news, insider J Bryant Kirkland III bought 3,250 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, March 11th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $10.19 per share, with a total value of $33,117.50. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Company insiders own 7.54% of the company’s stock.
Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Banque Cantonale Vaudoise lifted its position in shares of Vector Group by 46.4% in the 3rd quarter. Banque Cantonale Vaudoise now owns 3,731 shares of the company’s stock worth $48,000 after purchasing an additional 1,182 shares during the period. Spire Wealth Management lifted its holdings in Vector Group by 152.2% during the fourth quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 4,795 shares of the company’s stock valued at $55,000 after purchasing an additional 2,894 shares in the last quarter. UMB Bank N A MO purchased a new position in shares of Vector Group in the fourth quarter worth about $59,000. SG3 Management LLC purchased a new position in Vector Group during the fourth quarter worth about $86,000. Finally, Pictet Asset Management SA purchased a new position in Vector Group during the fourth quarter worth about $115,000. Institutional investors own 63.74% of the company’s stock.
About Vector Group
Vector Group Ltd., through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells cigarettes in the United States. It operates in two segments, Tobacco and Real Estate. The company produces cigarettes in 100 combinations under the EAGLE 20’s, Pyramid, Montego, Grand Prix, Liggett Select, Eve, and USA brand names, as well as various partner and private label brands.