Werner Enterprises (NASDAQ:WERN) Sets New 1-Year Low – Here’s Why

Werner Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ:WERN) shares hit a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $28.62 and last traded at $29.01, with a volume of 29586 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $29.30.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

WERN has been the subject of a number of research reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on Werner Enterprises in a research report on Friday, March 7th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $33.00 price objective for the company. Susquehanna decreased their price target on shares of Werner Enterprises from $39.00 to $32.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, March 26th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Werner Enterprises from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 19th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on shares of Werner Enterprises from $34.00 to $27.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, March 27th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised their price target on shares of Werner Enterprises from $30.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 23rd. Five analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $36.13.

Werner Enterprises Price Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $1.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 53.06 and a beta of 0.85. The company has a quick ratio of 1.48, a current ratio of 1.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.43. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $33.09 and its 200-day moving average price is $36.17.

Werner Enterprises (NASDAQ:WERN) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 6th. The transportation company reported $0.08 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.23 by ($0.15). Werner Enterprises had a net margin of 1.13% and a return on equity of 2.27%. Equities research analysts anticipate that Werner Enterprises, Inc. will post 1.27 earnings per share for the current year.

Werner Enterprises Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 7th. Shareholders of record on Monday, April 14th will be issued a dividend of $0.14 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 14th. This represents a $0.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.92%. Werner Enterprises’s dividend payout ratio is presently 101.82%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Werner Enterprises

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Headlands Technologies LLC acquired a new position in shares of Werner Enterprises in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $39,000. Blue Trust Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Werner Enterprises by 64.7% in the fourth quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,308 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $50,000 after buying an additional 514 shares during the period. Sterling Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of Werner Enterprises by 796.3% during the fourth quarter. Sterling Capital Management LLC now owns 1,703 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $61,000 after acquiring an additional 1,513 shares in the last quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of Werner Enterprises by 35.7% during the fourth quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 2,431 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $87,000 after acquiring an additional 639 shares during the period. Finally, Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB bought a new stake in Werner Enterprises in the 3rd quarter valued at $96,000. 89.32% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Werner Enterprises Company Profile

Werner Enterprises, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in transporting truckload shipments of general commodities in interstate and intrastate commerce in the United States, Mexico, and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Truckload Transportation Services and Werner Logistics.