Northern Financial Advisors Inc Boosts Stake in General Dynamics Co. (NYSE:GD)

Northern Financial Advisors Inc increased its holdings in shares of General Dynamics Co. (NYSE:GD) by 2.9% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 3,478 shares of the aerospace company’s stock after buying an additional 99 shares during the period. Northern Financial Advisors Inc’s holdings in General Dynamics were worth $903,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. MeadowBrook Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of General Dynamics during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Briaud Financial Planning Inc acquired a new position in General Dynamics during the third quarter worth $27,000. Rakuten Securities Inc. purchased a new stake in General Dynamics in the 4th quarter valued at $38,000. Wetzel Investment Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of General Dynamics in the 4th quarter worth $38,000. Finally, Operose Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of General Dynamics during the 3rd quarter worth $40,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.14% of the company’s stock.

General Dynamics Stock Down 0.2 %

Shares of GD traded down $0.45 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $292.92. The stock had a trading volume of 237,757 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,098,911. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 1.44 and a quick ratio of 0.87. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $283.23 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $264.48. The company has a market cap of $80.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.93, a PEG ratio of 1.80 and a beta of 0.67. General Dynamics Co. has a 1-year low of $202.35 and a 1-year high of $296.50.

General Dynamics (NYSE:GD) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 24th. The aerospace company reported $2.88 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.89 by ($0.01). General Dynamics had a return on equity of 16.48% and a net margin of 7.85%. The business had revenue of $10.73 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $10.26 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.64 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts expect that General Dynamics Co. will post 14.55 earnings per share for the current year.

General Dynamics Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 12th will be paid a $1.42 dividend. This is a positive change from General Dynamics’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.32. This represents a $5.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.94%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 11th. General Dynamics’s dividend payout ratio is currently 46.33%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CEO Phebe N. Novakovic sold 49,850 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, April 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $284.50, for a total value of $14,182,325.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 768,977 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $218,773,956.50. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other General Dynamics news, CEO Phebe N. Novakovic sold 49,850 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, April 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $284.50, for a total value of $14,182,325.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 768,977 shares in the company, valued at $218,773,956.50. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, VP Gregory S. Gallopoulos sold 13,567 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, April 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $288.51, for a total transaction of $3,914,215.17. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 103,345 shares in the company, valued at $29,816,065.95. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 65,987 shares of company stock valued at $18,836,700. 1.60% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of General Dynamics from $291.00 to $322.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 4th. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of General Dynamics from $285.00 to $310.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, April 15th. UBS Group increased their price objective on General Dynamics from $286.00 to $296.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, January 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on General Dynamics from $280.00 to $298.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 25th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group raised General Dynamics from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $305.00 to $335.00 in a research report on Monday, April 29th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $300.53.

General Dynamics Profile

General Dynamics Corporation operates as an aerospace and defense company worldwide. It operates through four segments: Aerospace, Marine Systems, Combat Systems, and Technologies. The Aerospace segment produces and sells business jets; and offers aircraft maintenance and repair, management, aircraft-on-ground support and completion, charter, staffing, and fixed-base operator services.