Bread Financial's Market Perform Rating Reiterated by JMP Securities

On Monday, stock analysts at JMP Securities reaffirmed a "market perform" rating for Bread Financial (NYSE: BFH) in a research note. This decision indicates a neutral stance on the company's stock performance.

In addition to JMP Securities, other analysts have also provided updates on Bread Financial. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price target for the stock from $52.00 to $58.00, labeling it as a "sell" in their report on November 19th. Similarly, Evercore ISI adjusted their target price from $52.00 to $54.00, giving it an "in-line" rating on October 30th.

TD Cowen increased their price target from $48.00 to $50.00 and assigned a "hold" rating on October 28th. Meanwhile, Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective from $62.00 to $68.00, giving it a "sector perform" rating. In a notable move, Morgan Stanley upgraded their rating from "underweight" to "overweight" and adjusted their target price from $35.00 to $76.00 in a report published on December 19th.

The overall analysis from research firms shows a mix of ratings on Bread Financial. While two analysts rated the stock as a sell, nine provided hold ratings, and five gave it a buy rating. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently holds an average rating of "Hold" with a consensus target price of $59.69.

Recent Stock Performance

Bread Financial's stock opened at $60.95 on Monday, reflecting a decline of 3.8%. The company maintains a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, with quick and current ratios at 1.19 and 1.15, respectively. The fifty-day moving average sits at $61.93, while the two-hundred-day moving average stands at $55.70. Over the past year, the stock has seen a low of $32.10 and a high of $66.71, with a market capitalization of $3.03 billion.

On January 30th, Bread Financial shared its quarterly earnings report, revealing earnings per share (EPS) of $0.41, which exceeded the analysts' consensus estimate of $0.34 by $0.07. The company recorded a net margin of 5.75% and a return on equity of 12.41%. Analysts predict an EPS of 6.46 for the current year.

Institutional Investors and Stock Ownership

Recent activities from institutional investors and hedge funds indicate increased interest in Bread Financial. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. raised its stake in the company by 30.2% during the third quarter, now holding 1,121,329 shares valued at $53,353,000. Pzena Investment Management LLC also increased its holdings by 38.2%, owning 880,827 shares worth $41,910,000.

Additional investments include a new stake by Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. estimated at approximately $6,001,000, and Point72 Hong Kong Ltd acquiring shares valued around $4,276,000. Intech Investment Management LLC also took a new position worth about $3,550,000. Notably, institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 99.52% of Bread Financial's stock.

About Bread Financial

Bread Financial Holdings, Inc. specializes in providing technology-driven payment and lending solutions for customers and consumer-based industries in North America. Their services include credit card and loan financing, risk management, account origination, and funding for private label and co-brand credit card programs through various partnerships, as well as general-purpose cash-back credit under the Comenity brand.

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