Thomson Reuters Co. (NYSE:TRI) Increases Dividend to $0.54 Per Share

Thomson Reuters Co. (NYSE:TRI) announced a significant increase in its quarterly dividend on November 5th. The new dividend of $0.54 per share will be payable to shareholders who are on record as of November 21st. They will receive their payment on December 10th. This adjustment marks a notable rise from the previous quarterly dividend, which was only $0.15 per share. The new dividend reflects an annualized total of $2.16 and offers investors a yield of 1.31%. The ex-dividend date, which is critical for investors looking to qualify for this payment, is also set for November 21st.

Current Stock Performance

In mid-day trading on the Wednesday following the dividend announcement, shares of Thomson Reuters fell by 3.9%, trading at $164.52. During the session, approximately 124,341 shares were exchanged, which is lower than the average trading volume of 354,691 shares. The company's market capitalization is estimated at $74.01 billion, and its price-to-earnings ratio stands at 32.86. Thomson Reuters has a relatively low debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16, with both a quick ratio and current ratio of 0.88. Over the past year, the stock has experienced a low of $127.68 and a high of $176.03, indicating some volatility. As of now, the fifty-day moving average is $168.79, while the 200-day moving average is $166.61.

Earnings Report Insights

On the same day as the dividend announcement, Thomson Reuters reported its earnings results, revealing that it earned $0.80 per share for the quarter. This beat analysts' expectations, which were set at $0.77 per share. The company reported total revenues of $1.72 billion, topping estimates of $1.71 billion. The net margin for Thomson Reuters was 33.65%, with a return on equity reported at 15.22%. Compared to the previous year, revenue grew by a solid 8.2%. A year prior, the company posted earnings of $0.82 per share. Looking forward, research analysts project an earnings per share figure of 3.71 for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Opinions

Following the announcement, several analysts provided their insights on Thomson Reuters shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. adjusted their price target from $163.00 to $164.00, maintaining a "neutral" rating. National Bank Financial upgraded the stock from "sector perform" to "outperform." Scotiabank also raised their sector performance rating and set a new price objective of $182. These insights indicate mixed sentiments among analysts, with some viewing the stock as a stable hold while others have a more aggressive outlook. As indicated by MarketBeat, Thomson Reuters currently has a general rating of "Hold" with a consensus price target of $175.56.

Understanding Thomson Reuters

Thomson Reuters Corporation specializes in delivering vital business information services across various regions, including the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. The company operates through five distinct segments: Legal Professionals, Corporates, Tax & Accounting Professionals, Reuters News, and Global Print. The Legal Professionals segment focuses on legal research and integrated workflow solutions to help law firms and government entities enhance their operations.

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