First Advantage (NYSE:FA) Sets New 52-Week High – Time to Buy?

First Advantage Co. (NYSE:FA) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $20.97 and last traded at $20.15, with a volume of 1950815 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $20.53.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on First Advantage from $15.00 to $18.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, May 8th. Citigroup increased their price objective on First Advantage from $15.00 to $18.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, May 11th. Barclays raised their target price on First Advantage from $15.00 to $20.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, May 8th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus set a $18.00 target price on First Advantage in a research note on Friday, May 8th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, First Advantage has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $18.50.

First Advantage Stock Down 1.9%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61, a quick ratio of 3.85 and a current ratio of 3.85. The company has a market cap of $3.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 671.67 and a beta of 1.17. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $15.89 and a 200 day moving average price of $13.71.

First Advantage (NYSE:FA) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 7th. The company reported $0.26 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.21 by $0.05. First Advantage had a net margin of 0.65% and a return on equity of 13.16%. The business’s revenue was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.17 earnings per share. First Advantage has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.150-1.250 EPS. Research analysts expect that First Advantage Co. will post 0.74 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at First Advantage

In other news, President Joelle M. Smith sold 23,334 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $15.00, for a total value of $350,010.00. Following the transaction, the president owned 19,393 shares in the company, valued at $290,895. This represents a 54.61% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director James Lindsey Clark sold 4,921 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $15.69, for a total value of $77,210.49. Following the sale, the director directly owned 56,844 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $891,882.36. This trade represents a 7.97% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Company insiders own 4.40% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On First Advantage

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in FA. Versant Capital Management Inc boosted its stake in First Advantage by 47.1% during the 2nd quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 2,445 shares of the company’s stock valued at $44,000 after purchasing an additional 783 shares during the period. Glenmede Trust Co. NA lifted its holdings in shares of First Advantage by 6.6% during the first quarter. Glenmede Trust Co. NA now owns 21,966 shares of the company’s stock worth $258,000 after buying an additional 1,359 shares during the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. lifted its holdings in shares of First Advantage by 4.3% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 35,567 shares of the company’s stock worth $501,000 after buying an additional 1,471 shares during the last quarter. Swiss National Bank boosted its position in shares of First Advantage by 1.6% in the third quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 151,544 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,332,000 after acquiring an additional 2,400 shares during the period. Finally, The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company grew its stake in shares of First Advantage by 5.9% in the second quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 44,279 shares of the company’s stock worth $735,000 after acquiring an additional 2,463 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.91% of the company’s stock.

About First Advantage

First Advantage is a global provider of background screening, identity verification and workforce risk management solutions. The company delivers a comprehensive suite of services that help employers verify candidate credentials, manage regulatory compliance and mitigate risk throughout the employee lifecycle. Its platform is built to integrate with leading human capital management and applicant tracking systems, enabling a seamless and scalable experience for organizations of all sizes.

The company’s core offerings include pre-employment and continuous background screening, digital identity verification, drug and health testing, and ongoing employee monitoring.