Sensata Technologies Holding plc (NYSE:ST) Sees Significant Decrease in Short Interest

Sensata Technologies Holding plc (NYSE:ST) saw a large drop in short interest in February. As of February 15th, there was short interest totalling 3,470,000 shares, a drop of 13.5% from the January 31st total of 4,010,000 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 1,720,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 2.0 days. Approximately 2.4% of the shares of the company are short sold.

Sensata Technologies Stock Up 3.1 %

Shares of Sensata Technologies stock opened at $28.70 on Friday. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $27.95 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $31.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.11, a current ratio of 2.85 and a quick ratio of 1.99. The company has a market capitalization of $4.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.17, a PEG ratio of 1.25 and a beta of 1.20. Sensata Technologies has a 1-year low of $24.91 and a 1-year high of $43.14.

Sensata Technologies (NYSE:ST) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 11th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $0.76 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.76. Sensata Technologies had a return on equity of 17.54% and a net margin of 3.27%. As a group, research analysts forecast that Sensata Technologies will post 3.21 EPS for the current year.

Sensata Technologies Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 26th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 12th were paid a dividend of $0.12 per share. This represents a $0.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.67%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 12th. Sensata Technologies’s payout ratio is currently 57.14%.

Institutional Trading of Sensata Technologies

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Tidal Investments LLC raised its stake in shares of Sensata Technologies by 1.1% in the 3rd quarter. Tidal Investments LLC now owns 29,346 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $1,052,000 after buying an additional 314 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its stake in shares of Sensata Technologies by 3.7% in the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 11,442 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $418,000 after buying an additional 403 shares in the last quarter. Arizona State Retirement System raised its stake in shares of Sensata Technologies by 0.9% in the 4th quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 43,810 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $1,200,000 after buying an additional 405 shares in the last quarter. Assetmark Inc. raised its stake in shares of Sensata Technologies by 19.0% in the 3rd quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 2,602 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $93,000 after buying an additional 416 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Treasurer of the State of North Carolina grew its holdings in shares of Sensata Technologies by 0.6% in the 4th quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 65,706 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $1,800,000 after acquiring an additional 420 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 99.42% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have recently commented on ST. UBS Group decreased their target price on Sensata Technologies from $38.00 to $37.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, February 12th. Oppenheimer decreased their target price on Sensata Technologies from $44.00 to $40.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, February 13th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price target on Sensata Technologies from $36.00 to $32.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 16th. Finally, Evercore ISI cut their price target on Sensata Technologies from $43.00 to $40.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 17th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $39.08.

About Sensata Technologies

Sensata Technologies Holding plc develops, manufactures, and sells sensors and sensor-rich solutions, electrical protection components and systems, and other products used in mission-critical systems and applications in the United States and internationally. It operates in two segments, Performance Sensing and Sensing Solutions.