NASDAQ-listed MARA Holdings, Inc. (MARA) has seen a significant increase in institutional confidence as Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC ramped up its holdings by 55% in the fourth quarter. According to its latest SEC filing, Steward Partners now owns 15,845 shares after acquiring an additional 5,625 shares, valuing their total stake at $266,000.
Hedge Funds Strengthening Positions
Steward Partners isn’t the only institutional investor increasing exposure to MARA. Other hedge funds have either expanded their positions or initiated new stakes:
- Truvestments Capital LLC entered with a new stake worth $26,000 in Q3.
- Beacon Capital Management LLC followed suit in Q4 with a similar $26,000 stake.
- Larson Financial Group LLC boosted its MARA holdings by 124.2%, now owning 1,917 shares.
- Stonehage Fleming Financial Services Holdings Ltd increased its stake by 79.3% in Q4.
- Spire Wealth Management lifted its holdings by 26.7%, now owning 2,843 shares valued at $48,000.
As of now, 44.53% of MARA stock is held by hedge funds and institutional investors, indicating strong market confidence despite recent volatility.
MARA Stock Performance & Key Metrics
MARA stock opened at $13.18 on Friday, significantly lower than its 12-month high of $30.28. The stock’s 50-day moving average stands at $16.73, while its 200-day moving average is $18.26. The company maintains a current ratio of 4.00, quick ratio of 4.00, and a low debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, suggesting solid financial stability.
MARA currently holds a market cap of $4.56 billion, with a PE ratio of 16.68 and a beta of 5.95, highlighting its high volatility and growth potential.
Earnings & Revenue Beat Expectations
In its latest earnings report released on February 26, MARA reported a quarterly EPS of $1.24, significantly outperforming analysts’ expectations of ($0.32) by $1.56 per share.
- Revenue for the quarter: $214.39 million (beating the consensus estimate of $187.11 million).
- Net margin: 27.48%.
- Return on equity: Negative at -8.40%.
Analysts anticipate that MARA will post an annual EPS of -1.04 for the current fiscal year.
Insider Trading Activity
Recent insider selling has raised some eyebrows. Notable transactions include:
- CFO Salman Hassan Khan offloaded 16,700 shares at $23.50, totaling $392,450, decreasing his stake by 0.90%.
- CEO Frederick G. Thiel sold 27,505 shares at $18.01, reducing his holding by 0.67%, now owning 4.1 million shares.
Overall, 116,915 shares were sold by insiders in the last quarter, amounting to a total transaction value of $2.26 million. Despite this, insiders still hold 0.80% of MARA’s stock.
Analyst Ratings & Price Target Updates
Wall Street analysts have issued mixed ratings for MARA:
- HC Wainwright: Buy rating, price target $28.00.
- Rosenblatt Securities: Initiated coverage with Buy rating, $19.00 price target.
- Barclays: Downgraded price target from $27.00 to $14.00, Equal Weight rating.
- JPMorgan Chase & Co.: Neutral rating, price target cut from $23.00 to $18.00.
- Piper Sandler: Maintains Overweight rating but reduces target from $34.00 to $30.00.
Overall, MARA holds a “Hold” rating from analysts, with a consensus price target of $22.80, suggesting a potential upside from its current trading levels.
Final Thoughts
With institutional investors increasing their stakes, a strong earnings beat, and mixed analyst sentiment, MARA continues to be a stock to watch. Investors should monitor upcoming earnings reports and market trends to gauge the stock’s long-term trajectory.
