J.B. Hunt Transport Services (NASDAQ:JBHT) Price Target Raised to $297.00

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (NASDAQ:JBHT) had its price target hoisted by TD Cowen from $265.00 to $297.00 in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. The firm currently has a hold rating on the transportation company’s stock.

Several other equities research analysts also recently weighed in on the company. Raymond James Financial upped their price target on J.B. Hunt Transport Services from $299.00 to $315.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on J.B. Hunt Transport Services from $250.00 to $320.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, June 5th. Robert W. Baird boosted their price objective on J.B. Hunt Transport Services from $290.00 to $320.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services from $227.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, July 10th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Sunday, June 7th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have given a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $286.30.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services Stock Performance

NASDAQ:JBHT opened at $291.41 on Thursday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $274.31 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $238.25. The company has a market cap of $27.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 41.28, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.06 and a beta of 1.29. The company has a quick ratio of 1.26, a current ratio of 1.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31. J.B. Hunt Transport Services has a 52 week low of $130.12 and a 52 week high of $299.76.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (NASDAQ:JBHT) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 15th. The transportation company reported $1.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.71 by $0.20. The business had revenue of $3.50 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.26 billion. J.B. Hunt Transport Services had a return on equity of 18.75% and a net margin of 5.31%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 19.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.31 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that J.B. Hunt Transport Services will post 7.6 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 22nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 8th were paid a $0.45 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 8th. This represents a $1.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. J.B. Hunt Transport Services’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 27.86%.

Insider Activity at J.B. Hunt Transport Services

In other news, EVP Spencer Frazier sold 2,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $258.20, for a total transaction of $516,400.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 4,604 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,188,752.80. This trade represents a 30.28% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP David Keefauver sold 703 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $285.13, for a total value of $200,446.39. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 790 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $225,252.70. The trade was a 47.09% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 18,119 shares of company stock worth $4,736,095 over the last three months. Company insiders own 2.50% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of J.B. Hunt Transport Services

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Regent Peak Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $230,000. Tema ETFs LLC boosted its holdings in shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services by 6.4% in the 2nd quarter. Tema ETFs LLC now owns 2,425 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $702,000 after buying an additional 145 shares in the last quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB grew its position in shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services by 7.2% in the 2nd quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB now owns 23,700 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $6,859,000 after buying an additional 1,600 shares during the last quarter. Eldred Rock Partners LLC grew its position in shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services by 6.5% in the 2nd quarter. Eldred Rock Partners LLC now owns 84,910 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $24,576,000 after buying an additional 5,167 shares during the last quarter. Finally, LifeGoal Investments LLC raised its stake in J.B. Hunt Transport Services by 20.1% during the 2nd quarter. LifeGoal Investments LLC now owns 1,172 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $339,000 after acquiring an additional 196 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.95% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting J.B. Hunt Transport Services

Here are the key news stories impacting J.B. Hunt Transport Services this week:

• Positive Sentiment: JBHT was added to Zacks’ “Strong Buy” momentum list, signaling improving technical and fundamental momentum. Best Momentum Stocks to Buy for July 17th
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts raised price targets after the earnings beat, including JPMorgan, Robert W. Baird, Barclays, Citigroup, and TD Cowen, reflecting confidence in the recovery and margin improvement.
• Positive Sentiment: Reports highlighted shrinking trucking capacity and a shift toward intermodal freight, which could support stronger pricing and volume trends for JBHT. J.B. Hunt Stock Could Reach $340 as Trucking Capacity Shrinks
• Positive Sentiment: JBHT was also featured on relative-strength and momentum screens, indicating that investors see it as one of the stronger names in a choppy market. 5 Top Stocks With Relative Price Strength to Buy Right Now
• Neutral Sentiment: One Zacks article cautioned that while earnings growth and estimate revisions support the rally, the stock’s premium valuation means investors should remain selective. Is JBHT Stock too Expensive or Still Attractive After Its Rally?
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts’ consensus remains constructive, with coverage still centered around a “Moderate Buy” view.

About J.B. Hunt Transport Services

J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc is a leading provider of transportation and logistics solutions headquartered in Lowell, Arkansas. The company offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to move freight efficiently across North America, including intermodal, dedicated contract services, full truckload, less-than-truckload (LTL), final mile delivery and specialized transport.

In its intermodal segment, J.B. Hunt leverages a network of rail and truck assets to transport containers and trailers on major U.S.