Sensata Technologies (NYSE:ST) Shares Gap Up After Better-Than-Expected Earnings

Sensata Technologies Holding plc (NYSE:ST)’s share price gapped up prior to trading on Tuesday following a stronger than expected earnings report. The stock had previously closed at $35.76, but opened at $42.82. Sensata Technologies shares last traded at $39.99, with a volume of 3,391,847 shares trading hands.

The scientific and technical instruments company reported $0.89 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.86 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $1.01 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $986.51 million. Sensata Technologies had a negative net margin of 0.10% and a positive return on equity of 17.47%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up .9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.92 EPS.

Sensata Technologies Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 22nd. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, May 8th will be issued a dividend of $0.12 per share. This represents a $0.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.20%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, May 7th. Sensata Technologies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -959.81%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have commented on ST shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut shares of Sensata Technologies from a “neutral” rating to an “underweight” rating and cut their price target for the stock from $37.00 to $34.00 in a research note on Monday, January 8th. Evercore ISI boosted their price target on shares of Sensata Technologies from $36.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock an “in-line” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price target on shares of Sensata Technologies from $36.00 to $43.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on shares of Sensata Technologies in a research note on Tuesday, April 9th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $40.00 price target for the company. Finally, Bank of America cut Sensata Technologies from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $46.00 to $38.00 in a report on Wednesday, February 7th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $40.56.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC raised its stake in Sensata Technologies by 1,389.8% during the third quarter. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 730 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 681 shares during the last quarter. Principal Securities Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Sensata Technologies during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust raised its holdings in Sensata Technologies by 761.2% in the 4th quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 887 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 784 shares during the last quarter. Covestor Ltd lifted its position in Sensata Technologies by 71.6% in the 3rd quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,249 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $47,000 after acquiring an additional 521 shares in the last quarter. Finally, TFO Wealth Partners LLC boosted its stake in Sensata Technologies by 17,818.8% during the 4th quarter. TFO Wealth Partners LLC now owns 2,867 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $108,000 after purchasing an additional 2,851 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 99.42% of the company’s stock.

Sensata Technologies Trading Up 11.9 %

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13, a quick ratio of 1.69 and a current ratio of 2.55. The firm has a market cap of $6.02 billion, a P/E ratio of -803.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.85 and a beta of 1.37. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $35.10 and a 200 day simple moving average of $34.65.

Sensata Technologies Company Profile

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.