Six Flags Entertainment (NYSE:FUN) Stock Rating Upgraded by Zacks Research

Six Flags Entertainment (NYSE:FUN) was upgraded by research analysts at Zacks Research from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report issued on Monday,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other research firms have also issued reports on FUN. Weiss Ratings lowered Six Flags Entertainment from a “sell (d-)” rating to a “sell (e+)” rating in a report on Friday, May 15th. Northcoast Research began coverage on Six Flags Entertainment in a report on Wednesday, July 8th. They set a “neutral” rating on the stock. Guggenheim dropped their price target on Six Flags Entertainment from $33.00 to $28.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 24th. Citizens Jmp began coverage on Six Flags Entertainment in a research note on Monday, June 29th. They issued a “market outperform” rating and a $29.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Barclays raised their price objective on Six Flags Entertainment from $22.00 to $26.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, May 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have assigned a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $25.00.

Six Flags Entertainment Stock Up 2.8%

FUN stock opened at $18.12 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 19.13, a current ratio of 0.68 and a quick ratio of 0.62. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.85 billion, a P/E ratio of -1.11 and a beta of 0.40. Six Flags Entertainment has a 52-week low of $12.51 and a 52-week high of $31.25. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $20.45 and its 200-day simple moving average is $18.85.

Six Flags Entertainment (NYSE:FUN) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 7th. The company reported ($2.65) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($2.71) by $0.06. Six Flags Entertainment had a negative net margin of 52.76% and a positive return on equity of 5.17%. The firm had revenue of $225.63 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $207.49 million. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Six Flags Entertainment will post -0.11 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Six Flags Entertainment

In related news, insider Richard M. Haddrill purchased 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 12th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $19.08 per share, for a total transaction of $190,800.00. Following the acquisition, the insider directly owned 230,117 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,390,632.36. The trade was a 4.54% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Rehan Jaffer purchased 125,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 15th. The shares were bought at an average price of $23.41 per share, for a total transaction of $2,926,250.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 4,900,000 shares in the company, valued at $114,709,000. This represents a 2.62% increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Insiders purchased 265,000 shares of company stock valued at $6,173,850 in the last quarter. Company insiders own 2.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Atlas Wealth LLC acquired a new position in Six Flags Entertainment in the 1st quarter worth about $26,000. Danske Bank A S acquired a new stake in shares of Six Flags Entertainment during the 3rd quarter valued at about $27,000. Kohmann Bosshard Financial Services LLC bought a new stake in shares of Six Flags Entertainment in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its stake in shares of Six Flags Entertainment by 259.7% in the 2nd quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 1,000 shares of the company’s stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 722 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio grew its stake in shares of Six Flags Entertainment by 36.1% in the 1st quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 2,031 shares of the company’s stock valued at $36,000 after buying an additional 539 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 64.65% of the company’s stock.

About Six Flags Entertainment

Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is a publicly traded regional theme park operator based in Arlington, Texas. The company develops, owns and operates amusement and water parks, offering a diverse portfolio of thrill rides, family attractions, live entertainment, food and beverage offerings, and retail merchandise. Its main revenue streams include single-day tickets, season passes, on-site accommodations, in-park retail sales, and food and beverage services.

Founded in 1961 by Angus G.