Dillard’s, Inc. (NYSE:DDS) has seen its earnings per share (EPS) estimates for the first quarter of 2027 revised upwards by analysts at Zacks Research. In a report dated November 26, 2023, Zacks analysts now anticipate that Dillard’s will achieve an EPS of $9.16, an increase from their previous estimate of $9.07. The firm currently holds a “Strong-Buy” rating on Dillard’s stock, reflecting positive sentiment within the industry.
The consensus estimate for the company’s full-year earnings stands at $33.25 per share. Zacks Research has also projected earnings for subsequent quarters, estimating $3.15 EPS for Q2 2027, $6.78 EPS for Q3 2027, $9.36 EPS for Q1 2028, and $3.31 EPS for Q2 2028.
Several other financial institutions have shared their insights regarding Dillard’s stock. The Telsey Advisory Group recently raised their price target from $450.00 to $550.00, maintaining a “market perform” rating. In contrast, UBS Group increased their price objective from $184.00 to $460.00, although they assigned a “sell” rating. JPMorgan Chase & Co. adjusted their target price from $411.00 to $524.00, giving the stock an “underweight” rating. Meanwhile, Wall Street Zen upgraded Dillard’s from a “hold” to a “buy” rating.
As of now, one analyst has given the stock a “Strong Buy” rating, while two analysts have designated it as a “Hold” and another two have assigned a “Sell” rating. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Dillard’s currently holds an average rating of “Hold” with a target price averaging $511.33.
Recent Performance and Financial Indicators
Dillard’s stock opened at $676.96 on Monday. The company has demonstrated a solid performance, with a fifty-day moving average price of $616.56 and a two-hundred-day moving average of $523.95. Dillard’s boasts a market capitalization of $10.59 billion, a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 18.38, and a beta of 1.25. The stock has fluctuated between a 52-week low of $282.24 and a high of $737.73.
The company last reported quarterly earnings on November 13, 2023, revealing an EPS of $8.31, surpassing analysts’ consensus estimate of $6.43 by $1.88. Dillard’s recorded a net margin of 8.90% and a return on equity of 30.50%, with revenues of $1.49 billion, exceeding the expected $1.41 billion. This represents a year-over-year revenue increase of 2.9%.
Dividend Announcement and Insider Activity
Recently, Dillard’s declared a quarterly dividend of $0.30 per share, set to be distributed on February 2, 2024. Shareholders on record as of December 31, 2023, will receive this payout, corresponding to an annualized dividend of $1.20 and a yield of 0.2%. The dividend payout ratio currently stands at 3.26%.
In other developments, Director J.C. Watts, Jr. sold 750 shares of Dillard’s stock on October 16, 2023, at an average price of $594.60, amounting to a total sale value of $445,950.00. Post-transaction, he retains 10,250 shares valued at approximately $6,094,650, reflecting a 6.82% decrease in his holdings. This insider activity has been duly reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Institutional investors maintain significant involvement in Dillard’s. Recent transactions indicate that Envestnet Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in the company by 97.3% during the first quarter, now holding 1,302 shares valued at $466,000. Other notable institutional investors, such as Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH and LPL Financial LLC, have also bolstered their positions in Dillard’s.
With institutional and hedge funds owning approximately 67.15% of the company’s shares, Dillard’s continues to attract attention from various market participants, highlighting its relevance in the retail sector.
