Elbit Systems (NASDAQ:ESLT) Reaches New 12-Month High – Should You Buy?

Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ:ESLT) shares hit a new 52-week high on Monday . The stock traded as high as $253.23 and last traded at $252.51, with a volume of 7389 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $250.11.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, StockNews.com raised shares of Elbit Systems from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 20th.

Elbit Systems Price Performance

The stock’s 50-day moving average is $216.10 and its 200 day moving average is $199.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10, a current ratio of 1.15 and a quick ratio of 0.64. The company has a market cap of $11.23 billion, a PE ratio of 42.75 and a beta of 0.51.

Elbit Systems Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 6th. Investors of record on Monday, December 23rd will be given a dividend of $0.50 per share. This is a boost from Elbit Systems’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.42. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 23rd. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.79%. Elbit Systems’s dividend payout ratio is presently 28.38%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Elbit Systems

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Altshuler Shaham Ltd increased its stake in Elbit Systems by 2.0% during the 2nd quarter. Altshuler Shaham Ltd now owns 912,307 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $161,177,000 after purchasing an additional 18,014 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in Elbit Systems by 1.4% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 830,505 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $174,597,000 after purchasing an additional 11,643 shares in the last quarter. Y.D. More Investments Ltd increased its stake in Elbit Systems by 32,724.6% during the 2nd quarter. Y.D. More Investments Ltd now owns 403,742 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $71,329,000 after purchasing an additional 402,512 shares in the last quarter. Meitav Investment House Ltd. increased its stake in Elbit Systems by 41.3% during the 3rd quarter. Meitav Investment House Ltd. now owns 336,836 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $67,264,000 after purchasing an additional 98,440 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Heard Capital LLC increased its stake in Elbit Systems by 4.8% during the 3rd quarter. Heard Capital LLC now owns 218,392 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $43,700,000 after purchasing an additional 10,070 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 17.88% of the company’s stock.

About Elbit Systems

Elbit Systems Ltd. develops and supplies a portfolio of airborne, land, and naval systems and products for the defense, homeland security, and commercial aviation applications primarily in Israel. The company operates through Aerospace, C4I and Cyber, ISTAR and EW, Land, and Elbit Systems of America segments.