Los Angeles Capital Management LLC Grows Stock Holdings in Leidos Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:LDOS)

Los Angeles Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in Leidos Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:LDOS) by 185.3% in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 157,379 shares of the aerospace company’s stock after acquiring an additional 102,214 shares during the quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC’s holdings in Leidos were worth $22,672,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the business. Ballentine Partners LLC grew its stake in Leidos by 3.5% in the 3rd quarter. Ballentine Partners LLC now owns 1,822 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $297,000 after buying an additional 62 shares in the last quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp boosted its holdings in Leidos by 3.2% in the 4th quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 2,738 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $394,000 after purchasing an additional 86 shares during the period. Contravisory Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Leidos by 2.0% in the 4th quarter. Contravisory Investment Management Inc. now owns 4,796 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $691,000 after purchasing an additional 95 shares during the period. Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd. boosted its holdings in Leidos by 2.0% in the 4th quarter. Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 5,197 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $749,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the period. Finally, Empirical Finance LLC boosted its holdings in Leidos by 2.3% in the 3rd quarter. Empirical Finance LLC now owns 4,492 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $732,000 after purchasing an additional 103 shares during the period. 76.12% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Leidos news, Director Gary Stephen May sold 2,128 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $131.24, for a total value of $279,278.72. Following the transaction, the director now owns 11,264 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,478,287.36. The trade was a 15.89 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Robert C. Kovarik, Jr. sold 1,511 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $134.56, for a total transaction of $203,320.16. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 6,408 shares in the company, valued at $862,260.48. The trade was a 19.08 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.96% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have commented on the stock. UBS Group cut their price target on shares of Leidos from $162.00 to $156.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. Truist Financial cut their price target on shares of Leidos from $185.00 to $165.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. Robert W. Baird raised their price target on shares of Leidos from $180.00 to $218.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price target on shares of Leidos from $145.00 to $180.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald assumed coverage on shares of Leidos in a report on Friday, February 7th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $185.00 price target for the company. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $176.27.

Leidos Stock Performance

Leidos stock opened at $130.55 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.13, a current ratio of 1.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.91. The company has a market capitalization of $17.12 billion, a PE ratio of 14.13, a P/E/G ratio of 1.65 and a beta of 0.66. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $143.49 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $156.63. Leidos Holdings, Inc. has a twelve month low of $123.22 and a twelve month high of $202.90.

Leidos (NYSE:LDOS) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 11th. The aerospace company reported $2.37 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.24 by $0.13. Leidos had a net margin of 7.53% and a return on equity of 30.93%. Research analysts expect that Leidos Holdings, Inc. will post 10.62 EPS for the current year.

Leidos Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 14th will be paid a $0.40 dividend. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.23%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 14th. Leidos’s dividend payout ratio is presently 17.32%.

Leidos Profile

Leidos Holdings, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides services and solutions in the defense, intelligence, civil, and health markets in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Defense Solutions, Civil, and Health segments. The Defense Solutions segment offers national security solutions and systems for air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace for the U.S.