Stonebridge Financial Group LLC Takes Position in General Dynamics Co. (NYSE:GD)

Stonebridge Financial Group LLC bought a new position in shares of General Dynamics Co. (NYSE:GD) during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 15,632 shares of the aerospace company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,119,000.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. MFA Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of General Dynamics by 241.7% in the third quarter. MFA Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 82 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 58 shares in the last quarter. Hara Capital LLC acquired a new stake in General Dynamics in the 3rd quarter valued at about $26,000. Financial Life Planners purchased a new position in shares of General Dynamics in the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Heck Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of General Dynamics during the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. Finally, Sugar Maple Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of General Dynamics during the fourth quarter worth approximately $28,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.14% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In other General Dynamics news, VP Christopher J. Brady sold 5,540 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $280.91, for a total value of $1,556,241.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 20,296 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,701,349.36. This trade represents a 21.44 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Laura J. Schumacher sold 1,796 shares of General Dynamics stock in a transaction on Friday, January 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $255.68, for a total value of $459,201.28. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 11,175 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,857,224. This represents a 13.85 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 1.52% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have commented on GD shares. Barclays lowered their price target on shares of General Dynamics from $305.00 to $285.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, February 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on shares of General Dynamics from $307.00 to $284.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Vertical Research cut General Dynamics from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and cut their price target for the company from $352.00 to $290.00 in a research note on Monday, January 6th. Citigroup lowered their price objective on General Dynamics from $360.00 to $335.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Monday. Finally, Robert W. Baird reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $283.00 target price (down previously from $345.00) on shares of General Dynamics in a research report on Tuesday, January 14th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have assigned a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $298.59.

General Dynamics Trading Up 0.5 %

Shares of General Dynamics stock opened at $256.17 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $70.44 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.78, a PEG ratio of 1.61 and a beta of 0.61. General Dynamics Co. has a 1 year low of $247.01 and a 1 year high of $316.90. The company’s fifty day moving average is $264.47 and its two-hundred day moving average is $285.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 1.37.

General Dynamics (NYSE:GD) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The aerospace company reported $4.15 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.29 by ($0.14). General Dynamics had a net margin of 7.93% and a return on equity of 17.10%. Analysts forecast that General Dynamics Co. will post 14.84 earnings per share for the current year.

General Dynamics declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a share repurchase program on Wednesday, December 4th that allows the company to buyback 10,000,000 shares. This buyback authorization allows the aerospace company to buy shares of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are usually an indication that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.

General Dynamics Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 17th were paid a dividend of $1.42 per share. This represents a $5.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.22%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 17th. General Dynamics’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 41.64%.

General Dynamics Profile

General Dynamics Corporation operates as an aerospace and defense company worldwide. It operates through four segments: Aerospace, Marine Systems, Combat Systems, and Technologies. The Aerospace segment produces and sells business jets; and offers aircraft maintenance and repair, management, aircraft-on-ground support and completion, charter, staffing, and fixed-base operator services.