Hello Group Inc. (NASDAQ:MOMO) Receives $13.83 Average PT from Brokerages

Hello Group Inc. (NASDAQ:MOMO) has been assigned an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the three ratings firms that are covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $14.25.

A number of research firms have recently commented on MOMO. StockNews.com downgraded Hello Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, March 22nd. Benchmark lowered their target price on Hello Group from $22.00 to $16.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, March 15th.

Hello Group Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ MOMO opened at $5.52 on Friday. Hello Group has a fifty-two week low of $5.30 and a fifty-two week high of $11.12. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $6.28 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $6.59. The company has a quick ratio of 3.72, a current ratio of 3.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16. The firm has a market cap of $1.04 billion, a PE ratio of 4.00 and a beta of 0.68.

Hello Group (NASDAQ:MOMO) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 14th. The information services provider reported $0.33 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.35 by ($0.02). The company had revenue of $422.95 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $447.28 million. Hello Group had a net margin of 16.27% and a return on equity of 17.23%. Sell-side analysts expect that Hello Group will post 1.46 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hello Group Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed an annual dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 30th. Investors of record on Friday, April 12th will be given a dividend of $0.52 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 11th. This represents a dividend yield of 8.97%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Hello Group

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in MOMO. Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new stake in Hello Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Point72 Asset Management L.P. lifted its stake in shares of Hello Group by 254.8% in the 2nd quarter. Point72 Asset Management L.P. now owns 3,012 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 2,163 shares during the period. Quantbot Technologies LP acquired a new position in shares of Hello Group in the 1st quarter valued at $32,000. US Bancorp DE lifted its stake in shares of Hello Group by 49.6% in the 1st quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 8,502 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $49,000 after purchasing an additional 2,819 shares during the period. Finally, Lazard Asset Management LLC raised its stake in Hello Group by 103.0% during the 3rd quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 7,041 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $49,000 after buying an additional 3,573 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 50.96% of the company’s stock.

About Hello Group

Hello Group Inc provides mobile-based social and entertainment services in the People's Republic of China. The company offers Momo, a mobile application that connects people and facilitates social interactions based on location, interests, and various online recreational activities including, live talent shows, short videos, social games, as well as other video- and audio-based interactive experiences, such as online parties, mobile karaoke and user participated reality shows; Tantan, a social and dating application; and other applications under the Hertz, Soulchill, Duidui, and Tietie names.