American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (NYSE:AEO) Receives Consensus Rating of “Hold” from Brokerages

American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (NYSE:AEO) has earned a consensus rating of “Hold” from the fourteen ratings firms that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have issued a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1-year price target among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $20.40.

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the company. William Blair reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of American Eagle Outfitters in a research note on Wednesday, July 15th. Bank of America restated an “underperform” rating and issued a $16.00 target price on shares of American Eagle Outfitters in a report on Friday, August 14th. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $22.00 target price on American Eagle Outfitters in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Wall Street Zen upgraded American Eagle Outfitters from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday. Finally, UBS Group reissued a “buy” rating on shares of American Eagle Outfitters in a research report on Wednesday, July 15th.

American Eagle Outfitters Trading Up 2.1%

NYSE:AEO opened at $17.36 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05, a current ratio of 1.55 and a quick ratio of 0.53. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $17.01 and a 200-day moving average of $17.84. The company has a market cap of $2.91 billion, a PE ratio of 10.72, a PEG ratio of 3.71 and a beta of 1.33. American Eagle Outfitters has a one year low of $14.06 and a one year high of $28.46.

American Eagle Outfitters Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, July 24th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 10th were paid a $0.125 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 10th. This represents a $0.50 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.9%. American Eagle Outfitters’s dividend payout ratio is presently 30.86%.

Insider Activity

In other American Eagle Outfitters news, Director Cary McMillan sold 2,892 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.77, for a total value of $48,498.84. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Noel Spiegel sold 2,892 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.78, for a total transaction of $48,527.76. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 11,563 shares of company stock worth $196,599 over the last quarter. Insiders own 8.95% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On American Eagle Outfitters

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in American Eagle Outfitters during the second quarter worth $458,632,000. Marshall Wace LLP grew its stake in American Eagle Outfitters by 920.6% in the 3rd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 5,497,720 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock valued at $94,066,000 after purchasing an additional 4,959,039 shares during the period. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership increased its position in shares of American Eagle Outfitters by 162.9% during the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 6,336,392 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock valued at $105,818,000 after purchasing an additional 3,926,230 shares during the last quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System increased its position in shares of American Eagle Outfitters by 1,570.4% during the 2nd quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 3,119,444 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock valued at $53,654,000 after purchasing an additional 2,932,699 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Nykredit A S bought a new stake in shares of American Eagle Outfitters during the 2nd quarter worth $46,023,000. 97.33% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About American Eagle Outfitters

American Eagle Outfitters, Inc (NYSE: AEO) is a leading American specialty retailer offering apparel, accessories and personal care products for men and women. The company’s flagship brand, American Eagle, focuses on casualwear including denim, tops, outerwear and accessories targeted primarily at teens and young adults. In addition to its core apparel lines, the company operates the Aerie brand of intimates, loungewear and swimwear, which has gained recognition for its body-positive marketing and inclusive sizing.

American Eagle Outfitters conducts business through a combination of over 900 brick-and-mortar stores in North America and Greater China, complemented by a growing e-commerce platform that serves customers around the globe.