Director of Toast, Inc. (NYSE:TOST), Christopher P. Comparato, has recently sold a significant amount of company stock, according to the latest regulatory filings. On June 18, 2024, Comparato sold 74,771 shares at prices ranging from $23.705 to $24.63, and an additional 5,229 shares at prices between $24.71 and $24.95, amounting to a total of approximately $1,938,280 from the sales.
The transactions were carried out under a pre-arranged trading plan, known as a Rule 10b5-1 plan, which was adopted on March 1, 2024. Such plans allow company insiders to sell shares over a predetermined period of time, to avoid concerns about transactions being made on the basis of nonpublic information.
In addition to the sales, the director also acquired 80,000 shares of Class A Common Stock through the exercise of options at a price of $1.52 per share, totaling $121,600. Following these transactions, Comparato's direct ownership in the company has adjusted to 97,762 shares of Class A Common Stock.
Toast, Inc., headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, operates within the computer processing and data preparation industry, providing a platform for restaurants to manage their operations.
Investors often monitor insider transactions for insights into the perspectives of company executives and directors about the firm's prospects. Transactions by insiders can provide valuable context to the market performance and future expectations of the company.
As of the date of the filing, Christopher P. Comparato also owns 9,008,280 shares of Class B common stock, which can be converted into Class A shares at any time, indicating a substantial ongoing stake in the company's success.
In other recent news, Toast Inc. has been the focus of various Wall Street analysts due to its ambitious financial targets and growth strategies. The company aims to achieve over 20% recurring gross profit growth annually and an adjusted EBITDA margin of 30–35% as a percentage of recurring gross profit. RBC Capital Markets issued a "Sector Perform" rating with a price target of $27.00, while Baird Equity Research set a price target of $28, and Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc. rated Toast as "Market Perform" with a price target of $25.00.
Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) reaffirmed its confidence in Toast, maintaining an Overweight rating and a $29.00 price target, and identified it as a Top Pick in the market. Piper Sandler reiterated a Neutral rating on Toast Inc. stock, maintaining a $25.00 price target, and Needham maintained a Buy rating with a steady price target of $30.00.
These ratings and targets reflect recent developments in the company's strategic growth initiatives and financial health. Toast's strategies focus on scaling locations in its core restaurant market, expanding its total addressable market, improving Fintech take-rate, and delivering operating leverage across the organization. These are crafted to bolster Toast's recurring gross profit and adjusted EBITDA margin, which are pivotal financial metrics for the company.
InvestingPro Insights
In light of recent insider transactions at Toast, Inc. (NYSE:TOST), investors may be curious about the company's financial health and market performance. According to InvestingPro data, Toast, Inc. boasts a market capitalization of $14.17 billion, reflecting a significant presence in the industry. The company has shown impressive revenue growth in the last twelve months as of Q1 2024, with a 36.68% increase, signaling strong demand for its services in the computer processing and data preparation sector.
Despite not paying dividends, which may deter income-focused investors, Toast's stock has experienced a noteworthy return over the last week, with a 12.32% price total return. This could be indicative of investor optimism or a response to recent company developments. Additionally, the company's liquid assets surpass its short-term obligations, suggesting financial stability in meeting immediate liabilities.
InvestingPro Tips highlight that analysts are optimistic about Toast's future, predicting the company will turn profitable this year. Moreover, four analysts have revised their earnings expectations upwards for the upcoming period, which could be a positive sign for potential investors. For those interested in a deeper dive, InvestingPro offers more tips that can provide further context to Toast's financial outlook. By using the coupon code PRONEWS24, readers can get an additional 10% off a yearly or biyearly Pro and Pro+ subscription, gaining access to these valuable insights.
With Christopher P. Comparato's recent stock transactions, it's clear that insider activity is only one piece of the puzzle. For a comprehensive analysis, investors should consider the broader financial data and expert projections available on InvestingPro.
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