Franco-Nevada Co. has made headlines recently as its stock saw significant trading activity following analysts' upgrades and downgrades, and dividend announcements. On March 12, 2025, Raymond James raised its price target on the company's shares from $160.00 to $162.00, maintaining their outperform rating. This news contributed to increased investor interest, with 1,135,150 shares traded, marking an 84% surge from the previous day's volume of 616,913 shares.
The stock closed at $145.76 after starting the session at $145.74. Other analysts have weighed in, with Canaccord Genuity upgrading Franco-Nevada's rating from hold to buy on November 18, 2024. Meanwhile, Scotiabank raised its price target from $145.00 to $150.00 and reported their sector perform rating on March 11, 2025. Contrarily, TD Securities downgraded the shares from buy to hold and set their price objective at $152.00 on the same day.
Franco-Nevada has received mixed outlooks from market analysts, leading to diverse sentiments among investors. The consensus is currently categorized as "Moderate Buy," with seven analysts rating it as buy and five holding positions. The average target price stands at $153.63 according to MarketBeat.com.
Investment activity has been noteworthy, as several hedge funds have recently adjusted their stakes. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC, based on latest quarterly reports, purchased Franco-Nevada shares worth $47,000. Physician Wealth Advisors acquired shares worth approximately $49,000, and Point72 DIFC Ltd invested roughly $52,000 during the third quarter.
Even more notable, Harbour Investments increased its holdings by 25.8% during the fourth quarter, with the firm now owning 453 shares valued at $53,000 after buying 93 additional shares. Erste Asset Management GmbH also ventured to bring new positions within the stock, valued around $55,000. This indicates institutional investors hold approximately 77.06% of Franco-Nevada's stock, showcasing significant confidence among large investors.
Franco-Nevada's price performance indicates resilience. The stock recently recorded its last earnings results on March 10, 2025, reporting earnings of $0.95 per share (EPS), which exceeded the forecasted estimate of $0.90 by $0.05. Revenue for the company reached $321 million, surpassing expectations of $304.33 million and reflecting a 5.8% year-on-year increase from the previous quarter.
The company also recently declared its quarterly dividend. It will be paid out on March 27, 2025, with shareholders on record by March 13 to receive $0.38 per share. This increase from the previous quarterly dividend of $0.36 denotes Franco-Nevada's commitment to providing shareholder value, representing around $1.52 annualized and yielding about 0.99%. The ex-dividend date is also pinned to March 13.
Franco-Nevada operates primarily as a royalty and streaming company focused on gold, but they also deal with base metals and oil—engaging through their mining and energy segments across various regions including North America and internationally. Their portfolio management strategy emphasizes precious metals along with sales of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids.
Investors have also been closely monitoring insider trading activities, which could signal underlying sentiment within the company. Recently, Director Boris De Vries disposed of 500 shares at C$217.08 each, generating total proceeds of approximately C$108,540. Senior Officer Lena Miller sold 1,700 shares for roughly C$210.37 each, summing up to C$357,620. This insider selling has stirred discussions among analysts and investors assessing stock dynamics.
Overall, Franco-Nevada stands amid noteworthy earnings signals, institutional investments, and analyst rating changes. Investors will be closely watching how these developments play out, impacting its performance moving forward.