Vodafone Group Public Limited (NASDAQ:VOD) Receives Consensus Recommendation of 'Moderate Buy' from Analysts

Vodafone Group Public Limited (NASDAQ:VOD - Get Free Report) has garnered a consensus recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from a total of four brokerages currently providing coverage on the stock, according to recent reports. Of these analysts, two have suggested holding the stock, one has given it a buy recommendation, and one has opted for a strong buy rating.

Recent Analyst Commentary

Several research firms have recently provided their insights on Vodafone's stock. Notably, StockNews.com upgraded the shares of Vodafone Group Public from a "hold" to a "buy" rating in a report released on Wednesday. Conversely, The Goldman Sachs Group adjusted its rating, lowering it from "buy" to "neutral" as reported on December 9th. Additionally, DZ Bank increased Vodafone Group Public’s rating from a "hold" to a "buy" in a report earlier this past Friday.

Investment Activity

Institutional investors and hedge funds have been active in modifying their positions in Vodafone Group Public. For instance, Stifel Financial Corp increased its stake in the company by 34.9% during the third quarter, now holding 778,068 shares valued at approximately $7.8 million after acquiring an additional 201,360 shares. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. significantly boosted their position by 1,119.6%, owning 942,179 shares valued at nearly $9.44 million after purchasing an extra 864,924 shares in that same quarter. In the fourth quarter, a new stakeholder, Lester Murray Antman dba SimplyRich, invested roughly $295,000 in shares of Vodafone Group Public. Additionally, Goldentree Asset Management LP raised its holdings by 1.9%, now owning 3,283,292 shares valued at approximately $32.9 million after acquiring 60,943 shares. Lastly, Allworth Financial LP increased its stake by 9.0% in the fourth quarter, now owning 27,103 shares valued at $227,000. It is noted that hedge funds and institutional investors collectively hold about 7.84% of the stock.

Current Market Performance

As of Friday, shares of Vodafone Group Public opened at $9.01. The company displays a fifty-day simple moving average of $8.49 and a 200-day simple moving average of $9.08. The market capitalization is approximately $22.88 billion, with a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.90 and a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.66. The stock has seen a low of $8.00 and a high of $10.39 over the past year. Financially, the company presents a quick ratio of 1.34, a current ratio of 1.37, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78.

Company Overview

Vodafone Group Public Limited Company offers a range of telecommunication services both in Europe and internationally. Its services include mobile connectivity such as end-to-end mobile voice and data, messaging, device management, and telecoms management, along with fixed-line connectivity that covers fixed voice and data, broadband, software-defined networks, managed WAN, LAN, ethernet, and satellite services. The company also provides various financial services, including business and merchant services.

Vodafone, Analysts, Investment