PJC Investment Analysis Report & Stock Research, Piper Jaffray Companies

Piper Jaffray Companies (PJC)

PJC Stock Report

2-Year Price History

View Larger PJC Chart
NYSE:PJC
$43.32
(2/9 11:00AM)
-0.5%
Open$44.19 Mkt Cap$850.0 Million
High$44.67 52Wk High$57.80
Low$43.18 52Wk Low$18.51
Volume23,407 Avg Vol 10D187,200

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PJC Revenue

For a long time, value investors have used the current share price relative to sales per share levels as an important valuation tool. We utilize a historical weighted average methodology that treats recent years more importantly in the calculation. When looking at PJC through this framework, we can see that our weighted average historical high and low Price to Sales per share ratios over the last 8 years are 2.11x and 0.99x respectively.

Utilizing this range we can see that PJC’s current Price to Sales per share ratio of 2.09x is significantly above its historical average. This places PJC at the upper end of its historical range relative to sales per share and makes it difficult to suggest an attractive price outlook. At current sales per share levels, we would need to see a decline in the Price to Sales ratio of 35% merely to return PJC to its historical average.

PJC Cash Earnings

PJC is not forecasted to produce positive Cash Earnings this year, based on recent performance. This is not a positive situation, as we would always prefer that a company is producing cash every year. However, it is important to recognize that not all companies or types of companies have the goal of producing positive Cash Earnings either early in their business cycle or following significant turnaround changes. When looking at PJC, we hesitate to be overly negative on the company, but it is of concern that the company is not profitable at this time. Let's face it, companies cannot remain unprofitable for very long before a change has to be made. This could mean further restructuring or corporate event such as selling assets or spinning off divisions, at any rate a company with negative cash flows is not one that often makes a great investment unless you can acquire it at an extremely depressed price.

PJC Dividends

A strong dividend payment history is looked upon as a favorable characteristic on a company’s future and potentially can receive a positive Ockham rating. That being said, we don't require dividend payments for company's whose management has elected to forgo them entirely. PJC may pay a dividend at this time; however, there is an insufficient amount of history to incorporate it into our analysis. Therefore, we are not utilizing the dividends or lack thereof in our study. As PJC more consistent dividend history is made available, we will begin to factor this into the Ockham approach.

Peer Comparison

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Piper Jaffray Companies Industry Grouping

(2/8/2010)
Company Ticker Market Cap (Ml) Latest
Price
Price/Cash Earnings Price/Sales 5-Yr. Rev.
Growth Rate
5-Yr.
Avg. ROE.
Current 10-Yr. Range* Current 10-Yr. Range*
Peer Company Averages (not including PJC) 12.20 4.47 » 30.68 5.24 1.21 » 8.41 19.28% 140.57%
*10 year range does not include current year values
San Juan Basin Royalty Trust SJT $950.8 Million $20.40 19.62 5.00 » 31.47 18.89 2.88 » 17.03 9.51% 606.98%
Piper Jaffray Companies PJC $850.0 Million $43.55 -1.00 3.00 » 34.66 2.09 0.59 » 2.56 -15.61% 8.39%
OptionsXpress Hioldings, Inc. OXPS $831.2 Million $14.41 12.80 6.77 » 33.63 3.57 2.07 » 12.61 38.82% 48.86%
The Student Loan Corp. STU $815.2 Million $40.76 8.48 5.03 » 37.10 0.84 0.32 » 3.81 9.14% 16.30%
EZcorp, Inc. Class A Non voting EZPW $812.3 Million $17.75 10.47 0.61 » 16.15 1.67 0.05 » 1.95 20.99% 16.28%
Investment Technology Group, Inc. ITG $737.0 Million $16.86 9.65 4.92 » 35.07 1.21 0.74 » 6.67 17.97% 14.44%
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The Latest Financial News
The most recent Stocks on Financial TV & Blogs from impactful financial news sources
Tech Trader Daily-Barron's

Piper Jaffray Companies News is Being Covered Right Now on Tech Trader Daily-Barron's

The latest news on Tech Trader Daily-Barron's in regards to PJC came through on RazorWire recently.

The crowd at The Motley Fool does not like PJC and believes that it will Underperform. At Ockham, we are not advising buying Piper Jaffray Companies at the current price level because according to our methodology it is not supported by the fundamentals. As we analyze the results from RazorWire, one thing we do is rank each stock in terms of amount of news coverage. Recently, PJC has been less covered in the news compared to the rest of our universe of stocks.

“… Palm (PALM) has seen only “modest” sell through so far for the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus at Verizon Wireless (VZ, VOD), according to PIPER JAFFRAY analyst T. Michael Walkley. …”

Tech Trader Daily-Barron's

Piper Jaffray Companies News is Being Covered Right Now on Tech Trader Daily-Barron's

As always, the latest news on PJC is available to Ockham clients through RazorWire, and it was mentioned recently on Tech Trader Daily-Barron's.

While bearish sentiment on a stock is not always a bad thing, it is something you need to be aware of. The Motley Fool survey of crowd sentiment shows that many investors believe this stock will underperform. We noticed recently that in comparison to all other stocks we analyze in the news; PJC has received less coverage from the financial media in business television and blogs. At the current price, value investors will want to look elsewhere for a buying opportunity as this stock has heated up and is currently Overvalued.

“… Lookin’ like a fool with your pants on the ground - Larry Platt, “Pants on the Ground” When Acme Packet (APKT) reported Q4 results late yesterday , PIPER JAFFRAY analyst Troy ... …”

WSJ Marketbeat

News Developing on WSJ Marketbeat for PJC

Piper Jaffray Companies is one of the thousands of companies that Ockham has news analytics on, and it was recently discussed on WSJ Marketbeat.

As of this week's report, we have an Overvalued valuation on PJC because the price has gotten too high to be justified by the fundamentals. When taking into account the amount of news coverage each stock normally sees as a percentage of the total, Piper Jaffray Companies has actually sunk a bit in comparison to the others. Interestingly, overall sentiment looks bearish according to the Motley Fool's CAPS survey, as most of their users see Piper Jaffray Companies underperforming.

“… nterestingly, in their upgrade of Qwest, PIPER JAFFRAY analysts cite expectations of consolidation within the sector — among other reasons. …”

WSJ Marketbeat

News Developing on WSJ Marketbeat for PJC

Piper Jaffray Companies is one of the thousands of companies that Ockham has news analytics on, and it was recently discussed on WSJ Marketbeat.

When taking into account the amount of news coverage each stock normally sees as a percentage of the total, Piper Jaffray Companies has actually sunk a bit in comparison to the others. As of this week's report, we have an Overvalued valuation on PJC because the price has gotten too high to be justified by the fundamentals. Interestingly, overall sentiment looks bearish according to the Motley Fool's CAPS survey, as most of their users see Piper Jaffray Companies underperforming.

“… For example, UPS saw a drop in its domestic ground volumes, which PIPER JAFFRAY analysts suggest might have more to do with market share losses rather than economic conditions. …”

Tech Trader Daily-Barron's

What are the Experts Saying? Analysts and PJC on Tech Trader Daily-Barron's

Analysts' opinions can often carry a lot of weight, especially when they make major news and are covered on Tech Trader Daily-Barron's.

Interestingly, overall sentiment looks bearish according to the Motley Fool's CAPS survey, as most of their users see Piper Jaffray Companies underperforming. As of this week's report, we have an Overvalued valuation on PJC because the price has gotten too high to be justified by the fundamentals. When taking into account the amount of news coverage each stock normally sees as a percentage of the total, Piper Jaffray Companies has actually sunk a bit in comparison to the others.

“… Qwest (Q) this morning is getting a boost from PIPER JAFFRAY analyst Christopher Larsen, who lifted his rating on the carrier’s shares to Overweight from Neutral, increasing his ... …”

The Call

PJC's Profit Margin was Covered on The Call

Improving profit margins is a great sign for investors, The Call discussed PJC's margins recently.

In comparison to the other stocks that we follow, Piper Jaffray Companies has seen more discussion in relation to its normal ranking among the group. Be aware that the news sources we track are focusing on this stock more often these days. Interestingly, overall sentiment looks bearish according to the Motley Fool's CAPS survey, as most of their users see Piper Jaffray Companies underperforming. As of this week's report, we have an Overvalued valuation on PJC because the price has gotten too high to be justified by the fundamentals.

“… PIPER JAFFRAY, despite the lower gross margin rate expected in y4, we remain encouraged by the strong top line results and barclays isn't concerned with. …”

Squawk On The Street

What are the Experts Saying? Analysts and PJC on Squawk On The Street

Analysts' opinions can often carry a lot of weight, especially when they make major news and are covered on Squawk On The Street.

In comparison to the other stocks that we follow, Piper Jaffray Companies has seen more discussion in relation to its normal ranking among the group. Be aware that the news sources we track are focusing on this stock more often these days. As of this week's report, we have an Overvalued valuation on PJC because the price has gotten too high to be justified by the fundamentals. Interestingly, overall sentiment looks bearish according to the Motley Fool's CAPS survey, as most of their users see Piper Jaffray Companies underperforming.

“… Bed bath and beyond, retailer upgraded to neutral from underweight at PIPER JAFFRAY. The firm's price target is 43. Lockheed martin downgraded to neutral from buy at broadpoint ... …”

Squawk Box

PJC Gets Mentioned in the Financial Media

The latest news from business television and influential blogs is always available through Ockham's RazorWire, and this news is in relation to Piper Jaffray Companies.

The crowd at The Motley Fool does not like PJC and believes that it will Underperform. At Ockham, we are not advising buying Piper Jaffray Companies at the current price level because according to our methodology it is not supported by the fundamentals. When looking at our entire coverage universe and ranking stocks by the attention they receive on RazorWire, it is clear that Piper Jaffray Companies has been talked about more than normal recently.

“… Bed, bath and beyond upgraded to neutral at PIPER JAFFRAY. > > > we are about to get a wave of retail sales numbers at the top of the hour. …”

Fast Money

Fast Money: Will PJC Test Its 52-week High?

Stick with it or dump it? Fast Money discusses what an abnormally high price means for PJC's investors. Take note of Ockham's valaution on the stock as well.

Interestingly, overall sentiment looks bearish according to the Motley Fool's CAPS survey, as most of their users see Piper Jaffray Companies underperforming. In comparison to the other stocks that we follow, Piper Jaffray Companies has seen more discussion in relation to its normal ranking among the group. Be aware that the news sources we track are focusing on this stock more often these days. As of this week's report, we have an Overvalued valuation on PJC because the price has gotten too high to be justified by the fundamentals.

“… PIPER JAFFRAY has been there are names you want to follow. > > speaking of google, today's market buzz kill because google really led tech lower after debut of the nexus one ... …”

Closing Bell

What are the Experts Saying? Analysts and PJC on Closing Bell

Analysts' opinions can often carry a lot of weight, especially when they make major news and are covered on Closing Bell.

As we analyze the results from RazorWire, one thing we do is rank each stock in terms of amount of news coverage. Recently, PJC has been less covered in the news compared to the rest of our universe of stocks. Check the news on this stock because there is a catalyst that has allowed this stock to advance 6.86% today. The crowd at The Motley Fool does not like PJC and believes that it will Underperform. At Ockham, we are not advising buying Piper Jaffray Companies at the current price level because according to our methodology it is not supported by the fundamentals.

“… Kaufman brothers and PIPER JAFFRAY up to 172 from 163 because of strong holiday sales and market share gains. Shares at $139. 32. …”

View All Piper Jaffray Companies Stock News

Key Fundamentals

PJC - Piper Jaffray Companies Fundamentals
Price (2/9 11:00AM) $43.32
Volume (2/9 11:00AM) 23,407
Last Close Price $43.55
10 Day Average Volume 187,200
13 Week Price Range $42.60 - $52.28
52 Week Price Range $18.51 - $57.80
LTM Revenue $411.2 Million
 
Shares Outstanding (12/2008) 19.5 Million
Market Capitalization $850.0 Million
Shares Held By Institutions 13.6 Million
Institutional Holders 187
% Shares Held By Institutions 69.10%
Earnings Per Share (EPS) ($11.56)
P/E Ratio n/a
Book Value Per Share $40.05
 
Gross Margin n/a%
Annual Dividend 0.00
Dividend Yield 0.00%
Beta 1.50
Fiscal Year Ends December

About Piper Jaffray Companies

Piper Jaffray Companies is considered to operate in the Financial sector. They specifically operate in the Asset Management business segment contained within the Financial Services industry.

The Company and its subsidiaries provide investment banking, institutional brokerage, asset management and related financial services.