ESCO Technologies (NYSE:ESE) Hits New 1-Year High – Should You Buy?

ESCO Technologies Inc. (NYSE:ESE)’s stock price reached a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $167.76 and last traded at $168.05, with a volume of 40398 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $163.27.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have commented 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 lifted their price target on shares of ESCO Technologies from $150.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 11th.

ESCO Technologies Price Performance

The stock has a 50 day moving average of $138.13 and a 200-day moving average of $131.74. The company has a current ratio of 2.04, a quick ratio of 1.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.31 billion, a P/E ratio of 39.23 and a beta of 1.13.

ESCO Technologies (NYSE:ESE) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 6th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.07 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.73 by $0.34. ESCO Technologies had a net margin of 10.44% and a return on equity of 9.91%. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that ESCO Technologies Inc. will post 5.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

ESCO Technologies Dividend Announcement

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

Hedge Funds Weigh In On ESCO Technologies

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of ESE. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in ESCO Technologies by 1.1% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 2,907,533 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $387,312,000 after buying an additional 32,306 shares during the period. State Street Corp lifted its stake in shares of ESCO Technologies by 4.9% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 1,054,039 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $135,950,000 after purchasing an additional 49,577 shares during the last quarter. Conestoga Capital Advisors LLC boosted its position in ESCO Technologies by 1.8% during the third quarter. Conestoga Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,047,741 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $135,138,000 after purchasing an additional 18,676 shares in the last quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P grew its stake in ESCO Technologies by 3.3% in the third quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 438,536 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $56,563,000 after purchasing an additional 13,894 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Wellington Management Group LLP grew its stake in ESCO Technologies by 152.6% in the fourth quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 380,104 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $50,634,000 after purchasing an additional 229,601 shares during the last quarter. 95.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.