Joelle Smith Sells 23,334 Shares of First Advantage (NYSE:FA) Stock

Key Points

  • First Advantage President Joelle Smith sold 23,334 shares on May 7 at an average price of $15.00, totaling about $350,010. The sale reduced her direct stake by 54.61% and was made under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan.
  • The company reported stronger-than-expected Q1 results, with adjusted EPS of $0.26 versus $0.21 expected and revenue up 8.6% year over year. Management also reaffirmed its 2026 outlook and expects margin improvement in the second half.
  • Wall Street sentiment remains mixed but constructive, with JPMorgan, Barclays and Stifel setting targets around $18 to $20, while Citigroup holds a neutral stance. The stock’s consensus analyst rating is currently Hold with an average price target of $17.75.

First Advantage Co. (NYSE:FA - Get Free Report) President Joelle Smith sold 23,334 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $15.00, for a total transaction of $350,010.00. Following the sale, the president directly owned 19,393 shares in the company, valued at $290,895. The trade was a 54.61% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.

First Advantage Trading Up 1.3%

NYSE:FA opened at $15.96 on Friday. First Advantage Co. has a one year low of $8.82 and a one year high of $19.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 3.85 and a quick ratio of 3.85. The company's 50-day simple moving average is $11.75 and its 200 day simple moving average is $12.89. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 532.00 and a beta of 1.13.

First Advantage (NYSE:FA - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 7th. The company reported $0.26 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.21 by $0.05. First Advantage had a net margin of 0.65% and a return on equity of 13.16%. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.17 EPS. First Advantage's revenue was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. First Advantage has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.150-1.250 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that First Advantage Co. will post 0.74 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of First Advantage




Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. KBC Group NV purchased a new stake in First Advantage during the first quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Fifth Third Bancorp purchased a new stake in First Advantage during the first quarter valued at approximately $45,000. Clearstead Advisors LLC increased its holdings in First Advantage by 192.8% during the fourth quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 4,333 shares of the company's stock valued at $63,000 after buying an additional 2,853 shares during the last quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP purchased a new stake in First Advantage during the second quarter valued at approximately $81,000. Finally, BNP Paribas Financial Markets increased its holdings in First Advantage by 105.7% during the second quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 7,166 shares of the company's stock valued at $119,000 after buying an additional 3,682 shares during the last quarter. 94.91% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have recently commented on FA. Citigroup cut their price target on shares of First Advantage from $16.00 to $15.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, March 6th. Barclays increased their price target on shares of First Advantage from $15.00 to $20.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on shares of First Advantage from $15.00 to $18.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus set a $18.00 price target on shares of First Advantage in a report on Friday. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $17.75.

Read Our Latest Research Report on First Advantage

Key Stories Impacting First Advantage

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First Advantage Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

First Advantage is a global provider of background screening, identity verification and workforce risk management solutions. The company delivers a comprehensive suite of services that help employers verify candidate credentials, manage regulatory compliance and mitigate risk throughout the employee lifecycle. Its platform is built to integrate with leading human capital management and applicant tracking systems, enabling a seamless and scalable experience for organizations of all sizes.

The company's core offerings include pre-employment and continuous background screening, digital identity verification, drug and health testing, and ongoing employee monitoring.

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