Vector Group (NYSE:VGR) Earns Strong-Buy Rating from Analysts at StockNews.com

StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Vector Group (NYSE:VGR) in a research note released on Monday. The brokerage issued a strong-buy rating on the stock.

Separately, Barclays upped their price target on shares of Vector Group from $15.00 to $16.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 14th.

Vector Group Price Performance

Shares of Vector Group stock opened at $14.99 on Monday. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $14.96 and its two-hundred day moving average is $12.97. Vector Group has a 52 week low of $9.27 and a 52 week high of $15.53. The company has a market capitalization of $2.36 billion, a PE ratio of 12.92 and a beta of 1.04.

Vector Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 12th. Investors of record on Friday, August 30th were paid a $0.20 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 30th. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.34%. Vector Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 68.97%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Vector Group

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. BNP Paribas Financial Markets grew its holdings in Vector Group by 58.4% during the 1st quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 104,445 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,145,000 after acquiring an additional 38,522 shares in the last quarter. Texas Permanent School Fund Corp boosted its stake in shares of Vector Group by 3.5% during the first quarter. Texas Permanent School Fund Corp now owns 115,614 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,267,000 after purchasing an additional 3,942 shares in the last quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC purchased a new position in Vector Group during the first quarter valued at approximately $175,000. US Bancorp DE raised its stake in Vector Group by 9.4% in the first quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 47,100 shares of the company’s stock worth $516,000 after buying an additional 4,043 shares in the last quarter. Finally, ProShare Advisors LLC raised its stake in Vector Group by 7.5% in the first quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 29,033 shares of the company’s stock worth $318,000 after buying an additional 2,020 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 64.09% of the company’s stock.

About Vector Group

Vector Group Ltd., through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes in the United States. It operates in two segments, Tobacco and Real Estate. The company produces cigarettes under the Montego, EAGLE 20’s, Pyramid, Grand Prix, Liggett Select, Eve, and USA brand names, as well as various partner and private label brands.