Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. (NYSE:CFR) Given Average Rating of “Reduce” by Brokerages

Shares of Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. (NYSE:CFR) have received an average recommendation of “Reduce” from the thirteen analysts that are covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, eight have given a hold recommendation and two have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $132.77.

CFR has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their target price on shares of Cullen/Frost Bankers from $140.00 to $148.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Compass Point raised their price objective on Cullen/Frost Bankers from $122.00 to $145.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 10th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a “sector perform” rating and set a $144.00 target price on shares of Cullen/Frost Bankers in a research report on Friday, January 31st. DA Davidson cut Cullen/Frost Bankers from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and raised their price target for the company from $138.00 to $143.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on shares of Cullen/Frost Bankers from $132.00 to $120.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, March 13th.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Paul Bracher sold 11,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $139.45, for a total transaction of $1,603,675.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 102,946 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,355,819.70. This represents a 10.05 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 2.89% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Cullen/Frost Bankers by 1.0% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 6,375,303 shares of the bank’s stock worth $855,884,000 after acquiring an additional 66,243 shares during the last quarter. Champlain Investment Partners LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Cullen/Frost Bankers by 7.7% in the 3rd quarter. Champlain Investment Partners LLC now owns 3,414,061 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $381,897,000 after purchasing an additional 244,445 shares during the last quarter. Montrusco Bolton Investments Inc. grew its stake in shares of Cullen/Frost Bankers by 10.2% during the 3rd quarter. Montrusco Bolton Investments Inc. now owns 1,209,122 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $135,252,000 after buying an additional 111,719 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of Cullen/Frost Bankers by 6.4% in the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,097,697 shares of the bank’s stock worth $122,820,000 after buying an additional 66,223 shares during the period. Finally, Boston Trust Walden Corp raised its position in shares of Cullen/Frost Bankers by 9.8% in the 4th quarter. Boston Trust Walden Corp now owns 1,052,290 shares of the bank’s stock worth $141,270,000 after buying an additional 94,252 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.90% of the company’s stock.

Cullen/Frost Bankers Trading Up 2.8 %

Shares of CFR stock opened at $126.05 on Tuesday. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $135.70 and its 200 day moving average price is $130.68. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.10 billion, a PE ratio of 14.21, a P/E/G ratio of 6.46 and a beta of 0.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06, a current ratio of 0.68 and a quick ratio of 0.68. Cullen/Frost Bankers has a 1-year low of $94.09 and a 1-year high of $147.64.

Cullen/Frost Bankers (NYSE:CFR) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The bank reported $2.36 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.17 by $0.19. Cullen/Frost Bankers had a net margin of 20.44% and a return on equity of 15.95%. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Cullen/Frost Bankers will post 8.85 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Cullen/Frost Bankers Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th were issued a $0.95 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 28th. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.01%. Cullen/Frost Bankers’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 42.84%.

About Cullen/Frost Bankers

Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc operates as the bank holding company for Frost Bank that provides commercial and consumer banking services in Texas. The company offers commercial banking services to corporations, including financing for industrial and commercial properties, interim construction related to industrial and commercial properties, equipment, inventories and accounts receivables, and acquisitions; and treasury management services, as well as originates commercial leasing services.