Generali Asset Management SPA SGR Takes $696,000 Position in Avantor, Inc. (NYSE:AVTR)

Generali Asset Management SPA SGR purchased a new position in Avantor, Inc. (NYSE:AVTR) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 33,037 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $696,000.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB lifted its stake in Avantor by 99.5% in the 4th quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 1,253 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 625 shares in the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its position in Avantor by 106.3% during the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,611 shares of the company’s stock worth $34,000 after buying an additional 830 shares in the last quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC boosted its stake in Avantor by 76.7% during the fourth quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 2,459 shares of the company’s stock worth $52,000 after buying an additional 1,067 shares during the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. grew its holdings in Avantor by 56.3% in the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 2,981 shares of the company’s stock valued at $63,000 after buying an additional 1,074 shares in the last quarter. Finally, AlphaQuest LLC acquired a new stake in Avantor during the fourth quarter worth about $65,000. 95.08% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Avantor Stock Down 2.2 %

Shares of NYSE AVTR opened at $16.30 on Friday. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $19.08 and a 200 day moving average price of $21.81. The stock has a market cap of $11.10 billion, a PE ratio of 15.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 1.30. The company has a quick ratio of 0.70, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. Avantor, Inc. has a 52-week low of $15.37 and a 52-week high of $28.00.

Avantor (NYSE:AVTR) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The company reported $0.27 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.26 by $0.01. Avantor had a net margin of 10.49% and a return on equity of 12.17%. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.22 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Avantor, Inc. will post 1.06 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Avantor news, EVP James Bramwell sold 3,758 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $17.53, for a total transaction of $65,877.74. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 87,379 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,531,753.87. This trade represents a 4.12 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CAO Steven W. Eck sold 4,907 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $17.53, for a total value of $86,019.71. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 40,604 shares in the company, valued at approximately $711,788.12. The trade was a 10.78 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.30% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on AVTR shares. Stifel Nicolaus cut their target price on Avantor from $28.00 to $26.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, February 10th. Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Avantor in a research note on Tuesday. Barclays cut their target price on shares of Avantor from $26.00 to $23.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, February 10th. Citigroup decreased their price target on shares of Avantor from $22.00 to $18.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, March 4th. Finally, Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on shares of Avantor from $27.00 to $25.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, February 10th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $25.50.

About Avantor

Avantor, Inc engages in the provision of mission-critical products and services to customers in the biopharma, healthcare, education and government, advanced technologies, and applied materials industries in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. The company offers materials and consumables, such as purity chemicals and reagents, lab products and supplies, formulated silicone materials, customized excipients, customized single-use assemblies, process chromatography resins and columns, analytical sample prep kits, education and microbiology products, clinical trial kits, peristaltic pumps, and fluid handling tips.