Analysts Set Principal Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:PFG) PT at $85.92

Principal Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:PFG) has been assigned a consensus recommendation of “Hold” from the thirteen ratings firms that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, six have assigned a hold recommendation, two have assigned a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month target price among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $85.92.

A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on PFG shares. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Principal Financial Group from $69.00 to $74.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 19th. Morgan Stanley reiterated an “underweight” rating and issued a $80.00 price objective (down from $86.00) on shares of Principal Financial Group in a report on Thursday, December 5th. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of Principal Financial Group from $77.00 to $80.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research note on Friday, February 7th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their target price on Principal Financial Group from $90.00 to $92.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 12th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets assumed coverage on Principal Financial Group in a research report on Thursday, January 23rd. They set a “market perform” rating and a $93.00 price target on the stock.

Principal Financial Group Trading Down 1.8 %

Shares of PFG stock opened at $80.54 on Friday. Principal Financial Group has a 1 year low of $72.21 and a 1 year high of $91.97. The firm has a market capitalization of $18.17 billion, a PE ratio of 12.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.76 and a beta of 1.17. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $82.96 and a two-hundred day moving average of $83.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a quick ratio of 0.30 and a current ratio of 0.29.

Principal Financial Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 28th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 12th will be issued a dividend of $0.75 per share. This represents a $3.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.72%. This is an increase from Principal Financial Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.73. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 12th. Principal Financial Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 44.91%.

Institutional Trading of Principal Financial Group

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC increased its position in shares of Principal Financial Group by 15.6% in the third quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 21,764 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,870,000 after acquiring an additional 2,933 shares in the last quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. grew its position in Principal Financial Group by 3.0% during the 3rd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 231,277 shares of the company’s stock worth $19,867,000 after purchasing an additional 6,817 shares in the last quarter. Capital Performance Advisors LLP purchased a new position in Principal Financial Group during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $50,000. CWA Asset Management Group LLC acquired a new stake in Principal Financial Group during the 3rd quarter valued at $454,000. Finally, Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Principal Financial Group by 1.8% in the third quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. now owns 15,257 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,311,000 after purchasing an additional 277 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.08% of the company’s stock.

About Principal Financial Group

Principal Financial Group, Inc provides retirement, asset management, and insurance products and services to businesses, individuals, and institutional clients worldwide. The company operates through Retirement and Income Solutions, Principal Asset Management, and Benefits and Protection segments. The Retirement and Income Solutions segment provides retirement, and related financial products and services.