BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) Stock Rating Raised to “Moderate Buy” at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upgraded shares of BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) from a hold rating to a moderate buy rating in a report published on Wednesday morning,Zacks reports.

A number of other equities analysts have also weighed in on the stock. Bank of America upped their target price on shares of BlackRock from $1,298.00 to $1,320.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 16th. UBS Group decreased their price target on shares of BlackRock from $1,320.00 to $1,277.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of BlackRock from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 11th. BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on BlackRock from $1,250.00 to $1,300.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, July 17th. Finally, Evercore reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $1,260.00 target price on shares of BlackRock in a report on Monday, August 10th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,303.35.

BlackRock Price Performance

Shares of BlackRock stock opened at $1,067.09 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 3.59, a current ratio of 3.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33. BlackRock has a 52 week low of $917.39 and a 52 week high of $1,219.94. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $1,110.01 and its 200-day simple moving average is $1,058.13. The company has a market capitalization of $165.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.50, a PEG ratio of 1.21 and a beta of 1.41.

BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 15th. The asset manager reported $13.91 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $12.69 by $1.22. The business had revenue of $7.08 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.73 billion. BlackRock had a return on equity of 14.90% and a net margin of 24.09%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 30.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $12.05 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that BlackRock will post 55.73 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

BlackRock Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 22nd. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 8th were paid a dividend of $5.73 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, September 8th. This represents a $22.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.1%. BlackRock’s dividend payout ratio is presently 54.78%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On BlackRock

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in BLK. RMG Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of BlackRock in the 1st quarter valued at about $25,000. Addison Advisors LLC bought a new stake in BlackRock during the second quarter worth approximately $25,000. Kelly Lawrence W & Associates Inc. CA bought a new stake in shares of BlackRock in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of BlackRock in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC boosted its stake in BlackRock by 100.0% during the first quarter. Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC now owns 34 shares of the asset manager’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 17 shares during the period. 80.69% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about BlackRock

Here are the key news stories impacting BlackRock this week:

• Positive Sentiment: BlackRock’s shares have gained 6.8% over the past six months, supported by record assets under management, strategic acquisitions, strong investment demand, and its diversified product lineup. However, analysts caution that the stock’s elevated valuation could limit additional upside. BLK Shares Rally 6.8% in Six Months: Is There Further Upside Left?
• Positive Sentiment: BlackRock is reportedly in exclusive discussions to acquire Stack Infrastructure’s Asia-Pacific data-center assets in a potential $20 billion-to-$25 billion transaction. The deal would increase exposure to AI and cloud infrastructure, though its size also raises execution and financing considerations. BlackRock in Exclusive Talks on $20 Billion Data Center Deal
• Positive Sentiment: BlackRock continues to promote growth in digital assets and tokenization, including tokenized money-market funds, stablecoins, Bitcoin, and AI-driven crypto payments. Its crypto portfolio reportedly increased by more than $291 million over four days, highlighting potential long-term fee and product opportunities. BlackRock’s Nikhil Sharma Pitches Tokenized Money Market Funds
• Neutral Sentiment: Fixed-income chief Rick Rieder said short-term bonds remain attractive and indicated a hawkish Federal Reserve positioning. Higher rates can support fixed-income demand but may pressure equity valuations and risk assets. BlackRock’s Rieder on Yield Curve and Federal Reserve Rate Hikes
• Negative Sentiment: U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded approximately $484.9 million in net outflows, with BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust accounting for $207.7 million. The withdrawals reduce near-term sentiment around crypto-related asset growth and fee revenue. US Bitcoin ETFs See $485 Million Outflow
• Negative Sentiment: BlackRock is scheduled to report quarterly results next week. While Wall Street expects earnings growth, a Zacks analysis says the company may lack the typical indicators for a significant earnings beat, increasing event risk for the stock. BlackRock Reports Next Week
• Negative Sentiment: The Rosen Law Firm is investigating potential securities claims involving BlackRock mutual funds, citing allegations of materially misleading business information. The announcement creates reputational and potential legal overhang, although it does not establish wrongdoing. BlackRock Investor News

About BlackRock

BlackRock, Inc is a global investment management and financial technology company serving individual investors, institutions, governments and financial professionals. The company provides investment management, risk management and advisory services across a broad range of asset classes, including equities, fixed income, multi-asset strategies, alternatives and cash management.

BlackRock offers investment products through mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and other vehicles. Its iShares brand is one of the company’s principal platforms for exchange-traded funds, providing access to domestic and international markets, industry sectors, bonds, commodities and specialized investment strategies.

The company also provides technology and analytical solutions through its Aladdin platform, which is used by asset managers, institutional investors and other financial organizations for portfolio management, risk analysis, trading and operational support.