Marcus (NYSE:MCS) Stock Rating Cut to Buy at Wall Street Zen

Wall Street Zen cut shares of Marcus (NYSE:MCS) from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note published on Saturday morning,Wall Street Zen reports.

Several other equities analysts have also commented on MCS. Zacks Research lowered shares of Marcus from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, October 2nd. Wedbush lifted their target price on shares of Marcus from $23.00 to $34.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, July 31st. Barrington Research set a $33.00 target price on Marcus in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. Benchmark boosted their target price on Marcus from $22.00 to $33.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, B. Riley Financial restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Marcus in a research note on Monday, October 19th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $32.25.

Marcus Trading Down 5.5%

NYSE MCS opened at $26.54 on Friday. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $27.97 and its two-hundred day moving average is $21.96. Marcus has a 12 month low of $13.06 and a 12 month high of $32.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 0.67 and a quick ratio of 0.44. The stock has a market capitalization of $818.23 million, a P/E ratio of 33.59 and a beta of 0.58.

Marcus (NYSE:MCS) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, October 29th. The company reported $0.60 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.60. Marcus had a net margin of 3.08% and a return on equity of 3.84%. The company had revenue of $237.75 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $235.65 million. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Marcus will post 0.83 earnings per share for the current year.

Marcus Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, August 25th were given a dividend of $0.09 per share. This is a boost from Marcus’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.08. This represents a $0.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, August 25th. Marcus’s dividend payout ratio is currently 45.57%.

Insider Activity at Marcus

In other news, Director Diane M. Gershowitz sold 50,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, September 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $27.61, for a total value of $1,380,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 125,617 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,468,285.37. This trade represents a 28.47% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 16.53% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Marcus

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Bank of New York Mellon Corp acquired a new stake in shares of Marcus in the second quarter valued at $6,481,000. Heartland Advisors Inc. boosted its holdings in Marcus by 24.4% in the first quarter. Heartland Advisors Inc. now owns 255,000 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,378,000 after purchasing an additional 50,000 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC grew its stake in Marcus by 2.8% during the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 181,793 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,121,000 after purchasing an additional 5,023 shares in the last quarter. Quantinno Capital Management LP grew its stake in Marcus by 8.5% during the 1st quarter. Quantinno Capital Management LP now owns 102,006 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,751,000 after purchasing an additional 8,024 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE grew its stake in Marcus by 1.8% during the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 89,332 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,534,000 after purchasing an additional 1,556 shares in the last quarter. 81.57% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Marcus News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Marcus this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts have a consensus price target of $32.25, suggesting potential upside from recent trading levels and providing a constructive outlook for Marcus Corporation. Marcus Corporation Stock Has Consensus Price Target of $32.25 According to Analysts
• Positive Sentiment: Marcus reported record third-quarter revenue in both its theater and hospitality divisions, producing the highest quarterly revenue in company history. Results were supported by strong movie releases, including Spider-Man: Brand New Day, while net earnings and adjusted EBITDA increased year over year. Marcus Corporation Reports Third Quarter 2026 Results
• Neutral Sentiment: Third-quarter revenue reached approximately $237.8 million, exceeding the roughly $235.7 million analyst estimate. Reported EPS was $0.60, compared with $0.42 a year earlier; some analyst reports viewed this as meeting consensus, while Zacks measured it against a $0.62 estimate. Marcus Q3 Net Earnings and Adjusted EBITDA Climb on Higher Revenues
• Negative Sentiment: The Zacks estimate comparison characterized the quarter as an EPS miss, with $0.60 per share below its $0.62 consensus forecast. That modest shortfall may be pressuring the stock despite record revenue and improved year-over-year earnings. Marcus Q3 Earnings Lag Estimates

Marcus Company Profile

Marcus Corporation (NYSE: MCS) is an entertainment and hospitality company headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its principal businesses are conducted through Marcus Theatres and Marcus Hotels & Resorts.

Marcus Theatres operates movie theaters in the United States, primarily across the Midwest, under brands that include Marcus Theatres and Movie Tavern. Its theater operations offer film screenings, reserved seating, premium viewing formats, food and beverage service, and other cinema-related experiences.

Marcus Hotels & Resorts owns, manages, or operates hotels, resorts, restaurants, and related hospitality facilities in the United States.