ESCO Technologies (NYSE:ESE) Sets New 1-Year High – Still a Buy?

ESCO Technologies Inc. (NYSE:ESE)’s stock price reached a new 52-week high on Saturday . The stock traded as high as $162.74 and last traded at $158.73, with a volume of 331908 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $132.42.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have recently weighed in on ESE. StockNews.com raised shares of ESCO Technologies from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, January 20th. Benchmark reissued a “buy” rating and set a $150.00 target price on shares of ESCO Technologies in a research note on Friday, November 15th.

ESCO Technologies Trading Up 19.9 %

The company has a quick ratio of 1.31, a current ratio of 1.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.29 and a beta of 1.13. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $135.81 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $129.61.

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 9.09% and a net margin of 9.92%. Equities analysts forecast that ESCO Technologies Inc. will post 4.8 earnings per share for the current year.

ESCO Technologies Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 17th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, April 2nd will be given a $0.08 dividend. This represents a $0.32 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.20%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, April 2nd. ESCO Technologies’s dividend payout ratio is currently 8.12%.

Institutional Trading of ESCO Technologies

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company increased its stake in ESCO Technologies by 3.8% during the 2nd quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 14,285 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $1,500,000 after buying an additional 525 shares during the period. Creative Planning increased its position in shares of ESCO Technologies by 22.8% during the second quarter. Creative Planning now owns 8,517 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $895,000 after acquiring an additional 1,582 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLC raised its stake in shares of ESCO Technologies by 43.0% in the third quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 469 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $60,000 after acquiring an additional 141 shares in the last quarter. Procyon Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in ESCO Technologies by 10.0% in the third quarter. Procyon Advisors LLC now owns 3,391 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $437,000 after purchasing an additional 307 shares during the period. Finally, Heritage Family Offices LLP acquired a new position in ESCO Technologies during the 3rd quarter worth $236,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 95.70% of the company’s stock.

About ESCO Technologies

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.