ESCO Technologies (NYSE:ESE) Given “Buy” Rating at Benchmark

Benchmark reiterated their buy rating on shares of ESCO Technologies (NYSE:ESE) in a report released on Tuesday morning,Benzinga reports. They currently have a $150.00 price objective on the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock.

Separately, Stephens lifted their target price on ESCO Technologies from $135.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, September 27th.

ESCO Technologies Price Performance

ESE stock opened at $141.96 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of $3.66 billion, a PE ratio of 36.78 and a beta of 1.08. ESCO Technologies has a 12 month low of $96.69 and a 12 month high of $147.80. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $125.20 and a 200 day moving average price of $116.03. The company has a current ratio of 2.10, a quick ratio of 1.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13.

ESCO Technologies (NYSE:ESE) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, August 7th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.19 by ($0.03). ESCO Technologies had a net margin of 9.95% and a return on equity of 8.82%. The business had revenue of $260.78 million for the quarter. Equities research analysts anticipate that ESCO Technologies will post 4.15 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On ESCO Technologies

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. First Horizon Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in ESCO Technologies in the second quarter worth about $36,000. GAMMA Investing LLC raised its holdings in shares of ESCO Technologies by 43.0% in the 3rd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 469 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $60,000 after purchasing an additional 141 shares in the last quarter. Innealta Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of ESCO Technologies in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $50,000. Signaturefd LLC boosted its stake in shares of ESCO Technologies by 17.9% during the third quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 990 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $128,000 after purchasing an additional 150 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Central Pacific Bank Trust Division purchased a new position in ESCO Technologies during the first quarter valued at approximately $126,000. 95.70% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.