National Presto Industries (NYSE:NPK) Stock Breaks Above 50-Day Moving Average – Time to Sell?

National Presto Industries, Inc. (NYSE:NPK) passed above its fifty day moving average during trading on Monday. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $149.45 and traded as high as $152.30. National Presto Industries shares last traded at $151.82, with a volume of 104,844 shares changing hands.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages recently weighed in on NPK. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of National Presto Industries from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, August 22nd. National Bank Financial set a $162.00 price objective on National Presto Industries in a research note on Wednesday, September 30th. Freedom Broker initiated coverage on National Presto Industries in a report on Thursday, October 1st. They issued a “hold” rating and a $162.00 target price for the company. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised National Presto Industries from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $162.00.

National Presto Industries Price Performance

The business’s 50 day moving average is $149.45 and its 200-day moving average is $135.89. The company has a market cap of $1.08 billion, a PE ratio of 25.39 and a beta of 0.47.

National Presto Industries (NYSE:NPK) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, August 14th. The conglomerate reported $2.21 EPS for the quarter. National Presto Industries had a net margin of 7.86% and a return on equity of 10.83%. The company had revenue of $146.60 million during the quarter.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On National Presto Industries

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of NPK. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new stake in National Presto Industries in the second quarter valued at $122,206,000. Medina Value Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of National Presto Industries during the 2nd quarter worth about $21,695,514. J. Goldman & Co LP purchased a new position in shares of National Presto Industries in the 2nd quarter valued at about $15,397,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp purchased a new position in shares of National Presto Industries in the 2nd quarter valued at about $7,511,000. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP increased its holdings in shares of National Presto Industries by 7.1% in the 1st quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 32,169 shares of the conglomerate’s stock valued at $4,409,000 after acquiring an additional 2,121 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 58.57% of the company’s stock.

About National Presto Industries

National Presto Industries, Inc is a diversified manufacturer headquartered in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Founded in 1905, the company is best known for its Presto brand of household appliances and cookware, while also serving the U.S. defense industry through its defense products business.

Its housewares and small-appliance operations offer products such as pressure cookers, electric cooking appliances, kitchen appliances, and related household items. These products are sold through mass merchants, department stores, hardware retailers, specialty stores, and online channels under the Presto brand and other product labels.

National Presto’s defense operations manufacture products and components for government and defense customers, including 40-millimeter ammunition, fuzes, cartridge-actuated devices, and precision metal components.