Smith & Nephew plc (NYSE:SNN) Given Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts

Shares of Smith & Nephew plc (NYSE:SNN) have earned a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the six brokerages that are covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company.

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on Smith & Nephew in a research report on Wednesday, July 24th. They set a “buy” rating on the stock. UBS Group raised Smith & Nephew from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 5th. Finally, StockNews.com raised Smith & Nephew from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Monday, August 5th.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Smith & Nephew

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of SNN. Bank of Montreal Can increased its stake in Smith & Nephew by 355.8% in the second quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 1,235,916 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $31,059,000 after purchasing an additional 964,762 shares during the period. Optiver Holding B.V. raised its stake in Smith & Nephew by 100.4% during the 4th quarter. Optiver Holding B.V. now owns 599,981 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $16,476,000 after acquiring an additional 300,591 shares during the last quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC grew its stake in shares of Smith & Nephew by 80.1% in the 4th quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 592,734 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $16,152,000 after purchasing an additional 263,641 shares during the last quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LP increased its holdings in shares of Smith & Nephew by 20.5% in the second quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LP now owns 1,373,051 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $34,002,000 after purchasing an additional 233,293 shares during the period. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its stake in shares of Smith & Nephew by 58.2% during the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 524,602 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock worth $12,995,000 after purchasing an additional 193,046 shares during the last quarter. 25.64% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Smith & Nephew Trading Down 0.4 %

Shares of SNN stock opened at $30.55 on Friday. Smith & Nephew has a fifty-two week low of $21.52 and a fifty-two week high of $31.72. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $30.20 and a 200 day moving average price of $27.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a current ratio of 2.51.

Smith & Nephew Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 8th. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 4th will be paid a $0.288 dividend. This is a positive change from Smith & Nephew’s previous semi-annual dividend of $0.24. This represents a yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 4th.

Smith & Nephew Company Profile

Smith & Nephew plc, together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells medical devices and services in the United Kingdom and internationally. It operates through three segments: Orthopaedics, Sports Medicine & ENT, and Advanced Wound Management. The company offers knee implant products for knee replacement procedures; hip implants for revision procedures; trauma and extremities products that include internal and external devices used in the stabilization of severe fractures and deformity correction procedures; and other reconstruction products.