SJW Group (NYSE:SJW) Stock Price Up 2.1% – Should You Buy?

SJW Group (NYSE:SJW) shares shot up 2.1% during mid-day trading on Friday . The company traded as high as $53.43 and last traded at $53.39. 112,466 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 48% from the average session volume of 218,018 shares. The stock had previously closed at $52.28.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on SJW shares. StockNews.com upgraded SJW Group from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, February 28th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of SJW Group from $53.00 to $57.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, February 28th. Finally, Bank of America raised shares of SJW Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $59.00 to $55.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd.

SJW Group Stock Up 2.5 %

The company has a market capitalization of $1.80 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.42, a P/E/G ratio of 3.94 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a quick ratio of 0.77, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.25. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $51.99 and a 200-day simple moving average of $53.60.

SJW Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 3rd. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 10th were issued a dividend of $0.42 per share. This is an increase from SJW Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.40. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.13%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 10th. SJW Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 58.95%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Quarry LP raised its holdings in shares of SJW Group by 123.4% during the fourth quarter. Quarry LP now owns 668 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 369 shares during the period. Russell Investments Group Ltd. increased its holdings in SJW Group by 64.4% during the 4th quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 766 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares in the last quarter. Point72 DIFC Ltd raised its stake in shares of SJW Group by 81.4% in the 3rd quarter. Point72 DIFC Ltd now owns 704 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $41,000 after purchasing an additional 316 shares during the period. Sterling Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of SJW Group by 842.0% in the fourth quarter. Sterling Capital Management LLC now owns 1,055 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $52,000 after purchasing an additional 943 shares in the last quarter. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of SJW Group by 47.9% during the fourth quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 2,079 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $102,000 after buying an additional 673 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 84.29% of the company’s stock.

About SJW Group

SJW Group, through its subsidiaries, provides water utility and other related services in the United States. It operates in Water Utility Services and Real Estate Services segments. The company engages in the production, purchase, storage, purification, distribution, wholesale, and retail sale of water and wastewater services; and supplies groundwater from wells, surface water from watershed run-off and diversion, reclaimed water, and imported water purchased from the Santa Clara Valley Water District.