Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel Ltd. Has $8.56 Million Stock Position in First Advantage Co. $FA

Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel Ltd. grew its holdings in First Advantage Co. (NYSE:FA) by 22.8% in the first quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 728,332 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 135,418 shares during the period. Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel Ltd.’s holdings in First Advantage were worth $8,565,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the business. KBC Group NV acquired a new stake in First Advantage in the 1st quarter worth about $35,000. Fifth Third Bancorp acquired a new position in shares of First Advantage during the 1st quarter worth approximately $45,000. Praxis Investment Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of First Advantage during the first quarter worth approximately $148,000. Invesco Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of First Advantage by 10.8% during the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 139,192 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,022,000 after purchasing an additional 13,554 shares during the period. Finally, Cat Rock Capital Management LP raised its position in shares of First Advantage by 8.9% in the fourth quarter. Cat Rock Capital Management LP now owns 3,342,818 shares of the company’s stock valued at $48,571,000 after buying an additional 274,449 shares in the last quarter. 94.91% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

First Advantage Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:FA opened at $22.30 on Tuesday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $17.32 and a 200-day moving average of $14.11. First Advantage Co. has a 12 month low of $8.82 and a 12 month high of $22.78. The company has a current ratio of 3.85, a quick ratio of 3.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.83 billion, a PE ratio of 743.33 and a beta of 1.17.

First Advantage (NYSE:FA) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The company reported $0.26 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.21 by $0.05. First Advantage had a net margin of 0.65% and a return on equity of 13.16%. First Advantage’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.17 EPS. First Advantage has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.150-1.250 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that First Advantage Co. will post 0.74 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on FA shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on First Advantage from $15.00 to $18.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, May 8th. Citigroup lifted their price objective on First Advantage from $15.00 to $18.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, May 11th. Barclays upped their target price on First Advantage from $15.00 to $20.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, May 8th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus set a $18.00 target price on First Advantage in a report on Friday, May 8th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, First Advantage has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $18.50.

Insider Buying and Selling at First Advantage

In other First Advantage news, President Joelle M. Smith sold 23,334 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $15.00, for a total value of $350,010.00. Following the sale, the president owned 19,393 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $290,895. This trade represents a 54.61% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director James Lindsey Clark sold 4,921 shares of First Advantage stock in a transaction on Monday, June 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $15.69, for a total value of $77,210.49. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 56,844 shares in the company, valued at approximately $891,882.36. The trade was a 7.97% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. 4.40% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

First Advantage Profile

First Advantage is a global provider of background screening, identity verification and workforce risk management solutions. The company delivers a comprehensive suite of services that help employers verify candidate credentials, manage regulatory compliance and mitigate risk throughout the employee lifecycle. Its platform is built to integrate with leading human capital management and applicant tracking systems, enabling a seamless and scalable experience for organizations of all sizes.

The company’s core offerings include pre-employment and continuous background screening, digital identity verification, drug and health testing, and ongoing employee monitoring.