ESCO Technologies (NYSE:ESE) Posts Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.05 EPS

ESCO Technologies (NYSE:ESE) announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.20 by $0.05, Briefing.com reports. ESCO Technologies had a return on equity of 8.83% and a net margin of 9.74%. The company had revenue of $272.65 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $267.32 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.21 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 6.3% compared to the same quarter last year.

ESCO Technologies Stock Up 1.4 %

ESE opened at $104.97 on Friday. ESCO Technologies has a 1-year low of $85.01 and a 1-year high of $109.57. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $102.49 and its 200 day simple moving average is $100.60. The company has a current ratio of 1.92, a quick ratio of 1.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12. The stock has a market cap of $2.71 billion, a PE ratio of 29.74 and a beta of 1.10.

ESCO Technologies Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 19th. Investors of record on Thursday, January 4th will be paid a $0.08 dividend. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.30%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, January 3rd. ESCO Technologies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 9.07%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On ESCO Technologies

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Point72 Middle East FZE bought a new stake in ESCO Technologies in the 4th quarter valued at $45,000. Altshuler Shaham Ltd acquired a new position in ESCO Technologies in the 4th quarter valued at $51,000. Lazard Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in ESCO Technologies in the 3rd quarter valued at $56,000. State of Wyoming grew its holdings in ESCO Technologies by 25.6% in the 2nd quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 917 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $95,000 after buying an additional 187 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. grew its holdings in ESCO Technologies by 53.2% in the 4th quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 1,129 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $98,000 after buying an additional 392 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 93.45% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on ESE shares. Stephens reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $120.00 price objective on shares of ESCO Technologies in a research note on Monday, August 28th. StockNews.com started coverage on ESCO Technologies in a research note on Thursday, October 5th. They set a “buy” rating on the stock.

About ESCO Technologies

ESCO Technologies Inc produces and supplies engineered products and systems for industrial and commercial markets worldwide. It operates through Aerospace & Defense, Utility Solutions Group, and RF Shielding and Test segments. 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.