Escalade (NASDAQ:ESCA) Upgraded by StockNews.com to Buy

StockNews.com upgraded shares of Escalade (NASDAQ:ESCA) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report sent to investors on Saturday morning.

Escalade Stock Down 5.4 %

Escalade stock traded down $0.77 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $13.40. 13,464 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 18,131. The company has a current ratio of 4.60, a quick ratio of 1.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22. The stock has a market cap of $185.72 million, a P/E ratio of 14.73 and a beta of 1.24. Escalade has a 1-year low of $12.34 and a 1-year high of $22.01. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $13.72 and a two-hundred day moving average of $14.30.

Escalade Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, October 14th. Shareholders of record on Monday, October 7th will be given a dividend of $0.15 per share. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.48%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, October 7th. Escalade’s payout ratio is 65.93%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Escalade

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. SG Americas Securities LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Escalade in the fourth quarter valued at about $118,000. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC grew its position in shares of Escalade by 5.6% in the first quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 24,944 shares of the company’s stock valued at $343,000 after purchasing an additional 1,330 shares during the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Escalade by 40.6% in the fourth quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 7,037 shares of the company’s stock valued at $141,000 after purchasing an additional 2,033 shares during the last quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets grew its position in shares of Escalade by 40.0% in the first quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 4,688 shares of the company’s stock valued at $64,000 after purchasing an additional 1,340 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Quadrature Capital Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Escalade in the first quarter valued at about $199,000. 65.22% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Escalade

Escalade, Incorporated, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, distributes, imports, and sells sporting goods in North America, Europe, and internationally. The company provides various sporting goods brands in basketball goals, archery, indoor and outdoor game recreation, and fitness products.