Essentra (LON:ESNT) Reaches New 1-Year Low – Time to Sell?

Essentra plc (LON:ESNT)’s share price hit a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as low as GBX 102.65 ($1.33) and last traded at GBX 103.40 ($1.34), with a volume of 29734020 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at GBX 104.40 ($1.35).

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, Berenberg Bank restated a “buy” rating and issued a GBX 170 ($2.20) price objective on shares of Essentra in a research note on Wednesday.

Essentra Stock Down 0.8 %

The company has a quick ratio of 0.50, a current ratio of 1.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 51.89. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of GBX 117.84 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of GBX 135.57. The stock has a market capitalization of £294.91 million, a P/E ratio of 84.52, a PEG ratio of 3.84 and a beta of 1.18.

Essentra (LON:ESNT) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 19th. The company reported GBX 8.50 ($0.11) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Essentra had a return on equity of 1.28% and a net margin of 1.13%. Equities research analysts forecast that Essentra plc will post 524.137931 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Essentra Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 3rd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 15th will be paid a GBX 1.55 ($0.02) dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, May 15th. This is a boost from Essentra’s previous dividend of $1.25. This represents a yield of 1.41%. Essentra’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 329.52%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Essentra

In related news, insider Steve Good acquired 35,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 20th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of GBX 109 ($1.41) per share, for a total transaction of £38,150 ($49,378.72). Also, insider Rowan Baker bought 10,036 shares of Essentra stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 24th. The stock was bought at an average cost of GBX 104 ($1.35) per share, with a total value of £10,437.44 ($13,509.50). Insiders own 0.99% of the company’s stock.

Essentra Company Profile