Qualys, Inc. (NASDAQ:QLYS) has recently experienced a decrease in its position from the investment firm SG Americas Securities LLC. In its most recent 13F filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), SG Americas Securities LLC revealed that it reduced its position in Qualys by 77.6% during the second quarter of this year. The firm now holds 6,728 shares of Qualys’ stock, down from 23,372 shares in the previous quarter. At the end of the reporting period, SG Americas Securities LLC’s holdings in Qualys were valued at $869,000.
In terms of financial performance, Qualys posted its quarterly earnings results on August 3rd. The software maker reported earnings per share (EPS) of $0.95 for the quarter, surpassing consensus estimates by $0.30. Moreover, the company generated revenue of $137.21 million during this period, surpassing consensus estimates of $135.55 million. These favorable results can be attributed to a net margin of 22.98% and a return on equity of 40.52%. Market analysts predict that Qualys will post EPS of 3.2 for the current fiscal year.
Several equities research analysts have provided their insights on Qualys lately as well. Canaccord Genuity Group raised their price target on Qualys from $150 to $175 and gave it a “buy” rating in a research report released on August 24th. Similarly, Northland Securities increased their price target on Qualys’ shares from $132 to $136 in a research report published on August 4th.
Conversely, UBS Group initiated coverage on Qualys in early July with a “neutral” rating and set a price objective of $135 for the stock. Piper Sandler also downgraded Qualys’ rating from “neutral” to “underweight” and lowered their target price from $120 to $109 on June 9th. Additionally, William Blair began covering Qualys on May 30th and assigned an “outperform” rating to the stock.
Current data shows that four investment analysts have given the stock a sell rating, seven rate it as hold, and five rate it as buy. Bloomberg reports that Qualys currently has an average rating of “Hold” with an average price target of $138.41.
While SG Americas Securities LLC has decreased its position in Qualys, the company’s strong financial performance and positive outlook continue to attract interest from various equities researchers. Investors will likely keep a close eye on Qualys in the coming months given its place within the software industry.
Qualys, Inc.
QLYS
Strong Buy
Updated on: 06/12/2023
Financial Health
Very Healthy
Debt to equity ratio: Buy
Price to earnings ratio: Strong Buy
Price to book ratio: Strong Buy
DCF: Strong Buy
ROE: Neutral
Qualys, Inc.: Hedge Funds and Insider Transactions Fuel Speculation on Future Market Prospects
Qualys, Inc., a leading software maker, has recently caught the attention of hedge funds and institutional investors. Notably, Dark Forest Capital Management LP increased its holdings in Qualys by 58.2% during the first quarter, now owning 242 shares worth $31,000 after buying an additional 89 shares. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. NY also grew its stake in Qualys by 4.2% during the fourth quarter, acquiring an additional 95 shares and bringing its total ownership to 2,374 shares valued at $266,000.
It is intriguing to observe the level of interest from these hedge funds and institutional investors in Qualys’ stock. Torray Investment Partners LLC raised its holdings by 1.2% during the first quarter and now owns 8,396 shares valued at $1,092,000 after acquiring an additional 99 shares. Similarly, Parallel Advisors LLC saw a significant increase of 71.0% in its stake during the same period and now holds 277 shares worth $36,000.
These transactions reveal that a notable percentage (95.90%) of Qualys’ stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. This influx of capital from influential market players suggests confidence in Qualys’ potential for growth and investment returns.
In other news surrounding Qualys, CEO Sumedh S. Thakar sold 5,005 company shares on July 14th at an average price of $129.90 per share amounting to a total value of $650,149.50. Following this transaction’s completion, Thakar’s remaining equity stands at 163,140 company shares worth approximately $21,191,886.
Additionally, insider Bruce K. Posey sold off some of his holdings as well with a transaction that occurred on July 20th for a total value of $209,638.19 based on an average selling price of $131.27 per share. After selling 1,597 shares, Posey retains ownership of 55,958 shares worth an estimated $7,345,606.66.
These insider trading activities depict a significant movement of shares within the company’s management team. The fact that CEO Thakar has sold a total of 5,005 shares and insider sales tally up to 34,544 shares in the last quarter suggests a potential change in sentiment or strategy from those within the company.
As for Qualys’ stock performance on the market, it opened at $153.59 on September 26th. It has seen fluctuation over the past year with a low of $101.10 and a high of $157.88. Currently, Qualys has a 50-day simple moving average of $146.59 and a 200-day simple moving average of $131.79.
The company also boasts a market capitalization of $5.64 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.45 with a beta of 0.61.
Overall, Qualys’ recent share activity and insider transactions have created an intriguing narrative surrounding the company’s future prospects in the market.
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