Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Reduces Holdings in Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. (NYSE:CFR)

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans lowered its stake in Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. (NYSE:CFR) by 12.8% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 27,551 shares of the bank’s stock after selling 4,038 shares during the quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans’ holdings in Cullen/Frost Bankers were worth $3,699,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of CFR. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Cullen/Frost Bankers by 6.4% in the third quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,097,697 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $122,820,000 after acquiring an additional 66,223 shares in the last quarter. Boston Trust Walden Corp lifted its holdings in Cullen/Frost Bankers by 9.8% in the 4th quarter. Boston Trust Walden Corp now owns 1,052,290 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $141,270,000 after purchasing an additional 94,252 shares in the last quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Cullen/Frost Bankers by 2.0% during the 4th quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 822,432 shares of the bank’s stock worth $110,418,000 after purchasing an additional 16,223 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its holdings in shares of Cullen/Frost Bankers by 2.4% during the fourth quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 611,722 shares of the bank’s stock worth $82,124,000 after buying an additional 14,422 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. raised its position in shares of Cullen/Frost Bankers by 23.6% in the fourth quarter. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. now owns 596,617 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $80,096,000 after buying an additional 113,757 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.90% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Cullen/Frost Bankers news, insider Paul Bracher sold 11,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $139.45, for a total value of $1,603,675.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 102,946 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,355,819.70. This represents a 10.05 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 2.89% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Cullen/Frost Bankers Trading Down 0.5 %

NYSE:CFR opened at $125.30 on Wednesday. The business’s 50-day moving average is $135.43 and its two-hundred day moving average is $130.81. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.05 billion, a PE ratio of 14.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.46 and a beta of 0.97. Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. has a 12 month low of $94.09 and a 12 month high of $147.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06, a current ratio of 0.68 and a quick ratio of 0.68.

Cullen/Frost Bankers (NYSE:CFR) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The bank reported $2.36 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.17 by $0.19. Cullen/Frost Bankers had a return on equity of 15.95% and a net margin of 20.44%. Research analysts predict that Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. will post 8.85 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Cullen/Frost Bankers Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 14th. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th were issued a dividend of $0.95 per share. This represents a $3.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.03%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 28th. Cullen/Frost Bankers’s payout ratio is 42.84%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have commented on the stock. Compass Point lifted their target price on shares of Cullen/Frost Bankers from $122.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 10th. DA Davidson lowered Cullen/Frost Bankers from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and upped their target price for the company from $138.00 to $143.00 in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on Cullen/Frost Bankers from $132.00 to $120.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, March 13th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a “sector perform” rating and set a $144.00 price objective on shares of Cullen/Frost Bankers in a report on Friday, January 31st. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their target price on shares of Cullen/Frost Bankers from $140.00 to $148.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Cullen/Frost Bankers has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $132.77.

Cullen/Frost Bankers Company Profile

Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc operates as the bank holding company for Frost Bank that provides commercial and consumer banking services in Texas. The company offers commercial banking services to corporations, including financing for industrial and commercial properties, interim construction related to industrial and commercial properties, equipment, inventories and accounts receivables, and acquisitions; and treasury management services, as well as originates commercial leasing services.