News Co. Hits Yearly High Following Dividend Disclosure

News Co. (NASDAQ:NWS), a notable media and services company, witnessed its stock price soar to a new 52-week high during Thursday's trading session. The climb occurred on the heels of an announcement regarding the company's upcoming dividend distribution. During the trading day, shares of News Co. saw a peak price of $28.92, eventually settling at $27.18 by the close of trading. A significant volume of 239,696 shares was exchanged throughout the day. The previous trading session concluded with the stock at $25.30.

Dividend Details Spark Investor Interest

News Co. declared that shareholders on record as of March 13th will receive a dividend payout on April 10th. The payment, set at $0.10 per share, precedes the ex-dividend date of March 12th. The dividend yields approximately 0.7% and aligns with a payout ratio for the company that currently stands at 50%.

Robust Financial Ratios Underpin Stock Value

The company commands a market capitalization of $15.57 billion, backed by a price-to-earnings ratio of 68.03 and a beta value of 1.35. News Co.'s balance sheet shows a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33. The liquidity position is strong with a current ratio of 1.44 and a quick ratio of 1.18. Over time, the firm has depicted stability with a 50-day simple moving average of $25.01 and a 200-day simple moving average of $22.67.

In its last quarterly earnings report on November 9th, News Co. posted earnings of $0.16 per share. The company's profitability margins stood at 2.29% net margin and a return on equity of 4.14%. For the quarter, revenues were reported at $2.50 billion.

Institutional Engagement in News Co.

Recent adjustments in the ownership of News Co. shares by institutional investors signify the stock's appeal in the market. Notable movements include Glenmede Trust Co. NA's new stake valued at roughly $25,000, and Headlands Technologies LLC's approximate $27,000 position. Captrust Financial Advisors boosted their holdings by 40.6%, and Desjardins Global Asset Management Inc. increased theirs by 138.5%. V Square Quantitative Management LLC also established a new stake in the previous quarter, worth about $48,000. Overall, institutional investors own 13.46% of News Co.'s stock.

The Company at a Glance

News Corporation operates across six segments, delivering compelling content and services globally. The segments consist of Digital Real Estate Services, Subscription Video Services, Dow Jones, Book Publishing, News Media, and Others.

Dividend, Stocks, Trading