Benchmark Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for ESCO Technologies (NYSE:ESE) Stock

ESCO Technologies (NYSE:ESE) had its price target lifted by analysts at Benchmark from $190.00 to $200.00 in a research note issued on Friday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a “buy” rating on the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock. Benchmark’s price target suggests a potential upside of 14.24% from the company’s current price.

Other analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. Stephens reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $175.00 price target on shares of ESCO Technologies in a report on Thursday, February 27th. StockNews.com lowered ESCO Technologies from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, March 21st.

ESCO Technologies Stock Up 0.7 %

ESE stock opened at $175.07 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a current ratio of 2.04 and a quick ratio of 1.35. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $156.71 and its 200-day simple moving average is $147.17. ESCO Technologies has a 12 month low of $101.42 and a 12 month high of $179.42. The company has a market capitalization of $4.52 billion, a P/E ratio of 41.10 and a beta of 1.19.

ESCO Technologies (NYSE:ESE) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 7th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.35 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.25 by $0.10. The company had revenue of $265.52 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $264.96 million. ESCO Technologies had a return on equity of 9.91% and a net margin of 10.44%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.09 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that ESCO Technologies will post 5.65 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Trading of ESCO Technologies

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its holdings in ESCO Technologies by 152.6% in the 4th quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 380,104 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $50,634,000 after buying an additional 229,601 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its stake in shares of ESCO Technologies by 18,682.3% in the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 107,247 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $17,065,000 after acquiring an additional 106,676 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of ESCO Technologies during the fourth quarter worth approximately $13,066,000. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. acquired a new position in ESCO Technologies in the 4th quarter valued at $11,435,000. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its holdings in ESCO Technologies by 87.3% in the 4th quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 144,039 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $19,187,000 after purchasing an additional 67,116 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 95.70% of the company’s stock.

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.