ESCO Technologies (NYSE:ESE) Cut to Hold at StockNews.com

StockNews.com lowered shares of ESCO Technologies (NYSE:ESE) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report published on Monday.

Several other research firms also recently issued reports on ESE. Benchmark upped their price objective on ESCO Technologies from $150.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 11th. Stephens reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $175.00 price objective on shares of ESCO Technologies in a report on Thursday, February 27th.

ESCO Technologies Stock Up 2.8 %

NYSE ESE opened at $164.75 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $4.25 billion, a PE ratio of 38.67 and a beta of 1.13. ESCO Technologies has a one year low of $97.11 and a one year high of $171.28. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $144.24 and its 200 day simple moving average is $135.56. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a current ratio of 2.04 and a quick ratio of 1.35.

ESCO Technologies (NYSE:ESE) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 6th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.07 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.73 by $0.34. ESCO Technologies had a return on equity of 9.91% and a net margin of 10.44%. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that ESCO Technologies will post 5.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

ESCO Technologies Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 17th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, April 2nd will be paid a $0.08 dividend. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.19%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 2nd. ESCO Technologies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 7.51%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Pitcairn Co. lifted its stake in shares of ESCO Technologies by 2.0% in the 4th quarter. Pitcairn Co. now owns 3,479 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $463,000 after purchasing an additional 68 shares during the period. First Horizon Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in shares of ESCO Technologies by 20.9% in the 3rd quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 411 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $53,000 after purchasing an additional 71 shares during the period. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. lifted its stake in shares of ESCO Technologies by 3.1% in the 4th quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 2,919 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $389,000 after purchasing an additional 88 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its stake in shares of ESCO Technologies by 21.7% in the 4th quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 571 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $76,000 after purchasing an additional 102 shares during the period. Finally, Baird Financial Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of ESCO Technologies by 5.2% in the 4th quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 2,206 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $294,000 after purchasing an additional 110 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 95.70% of the company’s stock.

ESCO Technologies Company Profile

ESCO Technologies Inc produces and supplies engineered products and systems for industrial and commercial markets worldwide. It operates through three segments: Aerospace & Defense, Utility Solutions Group, and RF Test & Measurement. The Aerospace & Defense segment designs and manufactures filtration products, including hydraulic filter elements and fluid control devices used in commercial aerospace applications; filter mechanisms used in micro-propulsion devices for satellites; and custom designed filters for manned aircraft and submarines.