Metis Global Partners LLC Raises Position in Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE:RSG)

Metis Global Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE:RSG) by 1.6% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 6,730 shares of the business services provider’s stock after buying an additional 105 shares during the quarter. Metis Global Partners LLC’s holdings in Republic Services were worth $1,352,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. grew its stake in shares of Republic Services by 15.2% during the 3rd quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 5,663 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $1,137,000 after acquiring an additional 746 shares during the period. PGGM Investments boosted its position in shares of Republic Services by 264.3% in the second quarter. PGGM Investments now owns 8,842 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $1,718,000 after purchasing an additional 6,415 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in shares of Republic Services by 0.6% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 18,254,878 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $3,494,714,000 after purchasing an additional 101,518 shares during the period. Natixis raised its position in shares of Republic Services by 78.6% during the 1st quarter. Natixis now owns 27,858 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $5,333,000 after purchasing an additional 12,260 shares during the period. Finally, YCG LLC boosted its holdings in Republic Services by 2.2% in the 3rd quarter. YCG LLC now owns 208,232 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $41,821,000 after buying an additional 4,428 shares during the period. 57.73% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently commented on the company. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on Republic Services from $208.00 to $217.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. TD Cowen upped their price target on Republic Services from $195.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, August 5th. CIBC lifted their price objective on shares of Republic Services from $208.00 to $217.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. Raymond James dropped their target price on shares of Republic Services from $219.00 to $214.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, July 25th. Finally, Scotiabank initiated coverage on shares of Republic Services in a report on Friday, October 4th. They issued a “sector perform” rating and a $224.00 price target on the stock. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Republic Services has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $215.71.

Republic Services Trading Down 0.7 %

Shares of RSG stock opened at $208.04 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $65.15 billion, a PE ratio of 33.29, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.28 and a beta of 0.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.07, a current ratio of 0.64 and a quick ratio of 0.64. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $203.84 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $197.97. Republic Services, Inc. has a 1 year low of $157.46 and a 1 year high of $216.18.

Republic Services (NYSE:RSG) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 29th. The business services provider reported $1.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.61 by $0.20. Republic Services had a return on equity of 18.18% and a net margin of 12.46%. The company had revenue of $4.08 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.12 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.54 earnings per share. Republic Services’s revenue was up 6.5% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts predict that Republic Services, Inc. will post 6.24 earnings per share for the current year.

Republic Services Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 15th. Investors of record on Thursday, January 2nd will be issued a dividend of $0.58 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 2nd. This represents a $2.32 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.12%. Republic Services’s payout ratio is 37.12%.

About Republic Services

Republic Services, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, offers environmental services in the United States and Canada. It is involved in the collection and processing of recyclable, solid waste, and industrial waste materials; transportation and disposal of non-hazardous and hazardous waste streams; and other environmental solutions.