ESCO Technologies (NYSE:ESE) Upgraded at StockNews.com

StockNews.com upgraded shares of ESCO Technologies (NYSE:ESE) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note issued to investors on Thursday.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently commented on ESE. Stephens increased their price target on ESCO Technologies from $135.00 to $145.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, September 27th. Benchmark reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $150.00 price objective on shares of ESCO Technologies in a research report on Friday, November 15th.

ESCO Technologies Price Performance

NYSE ESE opened at $128.73 on Thursday. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $140.04 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $126.70. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.32 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.67 and a beta of 1.13. The company has a current ratio of 1.91, a quick ratio of 1.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08. ESCO Technologies has a 12-month low of $96.69 and a 12-month high of $154.00.

ESCO Technologies Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 17th. Investors of record on Thursday, January 2nd will be issued a $0.08 dividend. This represents a $0.32 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.25%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 2nd. ESCO Technologies’s payout ratio is 8.12%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On ESCO Technologies

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of ESE. First Horizon Advisors Inc. boosted its holdings in 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 last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its holdings in 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 during the last quarter. Signaturefd LLC lifted its holdings in ESCO Technologies by 17.9% in the third quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 990 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $128,000 after acquiring an additional 150 shares during the last quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in ESCO Technologies in the second quarter worth approximately $205,000. Finally, Stonegate Investment Group LLC acquired a new stake in ESCO Technologies during the third quarter worth $207,000. 95.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.