Motorola Solutions (NYSE:MSI) Upgraded at StockNews.com

StockNews.com upgraded shares of Motorola Solutions (NYSE:MSI) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report released on Thursday morning.

MSI has been the topic of a number of other reports. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on shares of Motorola Solutions from $495.00 to $505.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, February 14th. Barclays lowered their price objective on Motorola Solutions from $529.00 to $527.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 14th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $515.25.

Motorola Solutions Price Performance

Motorola Solutions stock opened at $420.59 on Thursday. The company’s 50 day moving average is $425.25 and its two-hundred day moving average is $456.41. The firm has a market cap of $70.22 billion, a PE ratio of 45.62, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.82 and a beta of 0.94. The company has a quick ratio of 1.13, a current ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.30. Motorola Solutions has a 52-week low of $332.98 and a 52-week high of $507.82.

Motorola Solutions (NYSE:MSI) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 13th. The communications equipment provider reported $3.75 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.85 by ($0.10). The company had revenue of $3.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3 billion. Motorola Solutions had a return on equity of 197.59% and a net margin of 14.58%. On average, research analysts expect that Motorola Solutions will post 13.55 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Motorola Solutions Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, April 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 14th were paid a $1.09 dividend. This represents a $4.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.04%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 14th. Motorola Solutions’s dividend payout ratio is currently 47.29%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Motorola Solutions

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of MSI. Synergy Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in Motorola Solutions during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Crews Bank & Trust acquired a new stake in shares of Motorola Solutions during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. First Command Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Motorola Solutions during the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. acquired a new position in Motorola Solutions in the 4th quarter valued at about $30,000. Finally, Meeder Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Motorola Solutions during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $32,000. 84.17% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Motorola Solutions

Motorola Solutions, Inc provides public safety and enterprise security solutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Products and Systems Integration, and Software and Services. The Products and Systems Integration segment offers a portfolio of infrastructure, devices, accessories, and video security devices and infrastructure, as well as the implementation and integration of systems, devices, software, and applications for government, public safety, and commercial customers who operate private communications networks and video security solutions, as well as manage a mobile workforce.