UBS Group AG, a leading institutional investor, has increased its holdings in StoneCo (STNE) by 118.2% during the fourth quarter, according to the company’s recent disclosure with the SEC. The investor now owns 3,333,071 shares of StoneCo, representing a significant increase of 1,805,874 shares during the quarter. The value of UBS Group AG’s stake in StoneCo amounts to $31,464,000 as of the most recent filing with the SEC.
Some investors have also made adjustments to their holdings of STNE. BlackRock Inc., for instance, raised its stake in StoneCo by 27.8% during the third quarter, acquiring an additional 4,666,575 shares and bringing its total ownership to 21,451,911 shares valued at $204,437,000. State Street Corp also increased its stake in StoneCo by 2.9% during the same quarter, purchasing an additional 129,061 shares and now owning 4,533,366 shares valued at $43,203,000. Additionally, MFN Partners Management LP doubled its stake in StoneCo by 100.0% during the first quarter, buying an extra 2,000,000 shares and bringing its total ownership to 4,000,000 shares valued at $46,800,000. Renaissance Technologies LLC entered the scene by purchasing a new position in StoneCo during the first quarter, with a value of around $35,504,000. Furthermore, Federated Hermes Inc. expanded its holdings by 13.0% during the third quarter, acquiring an additional 347,157 shares and now owning 3,027,643 shares valued at $28,853,000. In total, institutional investors and hedge funds currently hold approximately 59.80% of StoneCo’s stock.
Analyst Ratings and Target Price Updates
Several equities analysts have recently provided their perspective on STNE shares. Citigroup, for example, lowered their target price on StoneCo from $14.00 to $13.00 while maintaining a “buy” rating for the company. Wells Fargo & Company, on the other hand, increased their price objective from $10.00 to $11.00 and assigned an “equal weight” rating to the stock. Barclays initiated coverage on StoneCo, giving it an “equal weight” rating and setting a $13.00 price objective. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised their price objective from $15.00 to $17.00. Overall, the stock has received five hold ratings and two buy ratings from research analysts. The average target price for StoneCo, based on data from STA Research, stands at $15.13.
StoneCo stock, listed as STNE, opened at $14.02 on Wednesday. Over the past year, the stock has ranged from a low of $7.20 to a high of $14.41. The company boasts a quick ratio and current financial ratio of 1.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21. Its fifty-day simple moving average stands at $10.79, while the 200-day simple moving average is $10.29.
StoneCo Stock Analysis & Forecast
Based on the StoneCo stock forecast provided by nine analysts, the consensus estimate for the next 12 months suggests an average analyst target price of USD 13.33. The general sentiment among analysts is positive, as the average analyst rating for StoneCo is Buy. Stock Target Advisor, after conducting its own analysis of StoneCo, holds a slightly bullish view, considering six positive signals and four negative signals. As of the last closing, StoneCo stock price stood at USD 14.50. Notably, the stock price has experienced an increase of +8.21% in the past week, +27.08% in the past month, and an impressive +62.92% over the course of the last year.
