Rhumbline Advisers Reduces Holdings in News Co. (NASDAQ:NWSA)

On February 22, 2025, it was reported that Rhumbline Advisers has reduced its stake in News Co. (NASDAQ:NWSA) by 2.0% during the fourth quarter, according to the latest 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor now holds 680,223 shares after selling 14,044 shares within that period. At the end of the latest quarter, Rhumbline Advisers' ownership in News was approximately 0.12%, amounting to $18,733,000.

In addition to Rhumbline Advisers, other institutional investors have also adjusted their holdings in News Co. Recently, Brooklyn Investment Group entered a new position in News in the third quarter, investing approximately $39,000. Another firm, R Squared Ltd, purchased a new stake in the fourth quarter for about $49,000. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB also acquired a new position in the third quarter valued at about $85,000, while FNY Investment Advisers LLC made a new investment worth approximately $137,000 in the fourth quarter. Moreover, Exchange Traded Concepts LLC increased its holdings by 21.2% in the fourth quarter, now owning 6,114 shares worth $168,000 after acquiring an additional 1,069 shares. Presently, institutional investors own 66.97% of News's stock.

Current Stock Performance

As of Friday, shares of NWSA opened at $28.53, down 1.1%. The company features a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a quick ratio of 1.65, and a current ratio of 1.73. Over the last year, News Co. has seen its stock price fluctuate between a low of $22.65 and a high of $30.69. With a market capitalization of $16.19 billion, the stock has a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.08 and a beta value of 1.35. The fifty-day moving average for the stock stands at $28.23 while the 200-day moving average is $27.76.

Recent Earnings Results

News Co. recently disclosed its earnings results on February 5th, presenting an earnings per share (EPS) of $0.33 for the quarter. This figure surpassed the consensus estimate of $0.29 by $0.04. The company also reported a return on equity of 5.31% alongside a net margin of 4.22%. Analysts predict that News Co. will achieve an EPS of 0.94 for the current fiscal year.

Dividend Announcement

The company has also announced a quarterly dividend, which is set to be paid on April 9th. Shareholders on record as of March 12th will receive a dividend of $0.10 per share. The ex-dividend date for this payment is March 12th. This indicates an annualized dividend of $0.40, equating to a yield of 1.40%. The current dividend payout ratio for News is at 27.40%.

Analyst Price Targets

News Co. has recently been in the sights of various analysts. UBS Group upgraded its rating from “neutral” to “buy” in a note dated February 4th. Seaport Res Ptn also upgraded the stock to a “strong-buy” rating on January 31st. Guggenheim raised its price target for News from $40.00 to $43.00 while maintaining a “buy” rating on January 22nd. In contrast, Loop Capital reduced its price target from $44.00 to $41.00, also assigning a “buy” stance to the stock. Furthermore, Citigroup kicked off coverage on January 10th, classifying the stock as a “buy” with a target price of $36. Overall, six analysts have endorsed a “buy” rating, with one rating the stock as a “strong buy.” MarketBeat reports an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $39.25 for NWSA.

Company Overview

News Corporation is a global media and information services company focused on creating and offering engaging content and services to consumers and businesses. It operates across six segments: Digital Real Estate Services, Subscription Video Services, Dow Jones, Book Publishing, News Media, and other sectors.

Rhumbline, News, Investment