Starz Entertainment (NASDAQ:STRZ) Upgraded by B. Riley Financial to “Strong-Buy” Rating

B. Riley Financial upgraded shares of Starz Entertainment (NASDAQ:STRZ) to a strong-buy rating in a research report report published on Tuesday morning,Zacks.com reports.

STRZ has been the topic of several other reports. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Starz Entertainment in a report on Friday, May 1st. Raymond James Financial restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $29.00 target price on shares of Starz Entertainment in a report on Friday, May 8th. Robert W. Baird set a $30.00 price target on shares of Starz Entertainment and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, May 11th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on shares of Starz Entertainment from $13.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a “hold” rating and issued a $26.00 price target on shares of Starz Entertainment in a report on Friday, June 5th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have assigned a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $30.71.

Starz Entertainment Stock Up 4.7%

Shares of NASDAQ:STRZ opened at $30.21 on Tuesday. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $23.87 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $16.06. The company has a current ratio of 0.31, a quick ratio of 0.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26. Starz Entertainment has a 12-month low of $8.40 and a 12-month high of $32.58. The firm has a market cap of $505.41 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.80 and a beta of 2.33.

Insider Buying and Selling at Starz Entertainment

In other Starz Entertainment news, insider Scott D. Macdonald purchased 5,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 12th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $20.59 per share, for a total transaction of $102,950.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the insider owned 18,757 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $386,206.63. This represents a 36.35% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CEO Jeffrey Hirsch purchased 10,000 shares of Starz Entertainment stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 12th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $20.72 per share, for a total transaction of $207,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 55,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,139,600. This represents a 22.22% increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. 22.62% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in STRZ. Russell Investments Group Ltd. acquired a new position in shares of Starz Entertainment during the second quarter worth about $28,000. Advisory Services Network LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Starz Entertainment in the third quarter valued at about $36,000. BNP Paribas Financial Markets raised its holdings in shares of Starz Entertainment by 101.8% during the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 2,525 shares of the company’s stock valued at $37,000 after buying an additional 1,274 shares during the period. Legal & General Group Plc purchased a new stake in shares of Starz Entertainment during the 2nd quarter valued at about $41,000. Finally, New York State Common Retirement Fund acquired a new position in Starz Entertainment during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $48,000.

About Starz Entertainment

Starz Entertainment (NASDAQ: STRZ) is a global media and entertainment company that operates premium subscription video services across linear television and digital streaming platforms. The company’s core offering includes the STARZ and STARZ ENCORE linear networks in the United States, alongside its STARZPLAY streaming service, which is available in North America, parts of Europe, Latin America and select Asian markets. Through its multi-platform distribution strategy, Starz delivers a combination of original programming, feature films and licensed series to a broad subscriber base.

At the heart of Starz Entertainment’s business is its investment in original content production.