Advanced Energy Industries (NASDAQ:AEIS) Hits New 1-Year High on Analyst Upgrade

Key Points

• Advanced Energy Industries' stock reached a new **52-week high** after Benchmark raised its price target from **$130.00 to $150.00**, maintaining a **buy rating**.
• The company reported an **earnings per share (EPS)** of $1.50 for the last quarter, exceeding the expected $1.28, with revenues increasing **21% year-over-year** to **$441.50 million**.
• A quarterly dividend of **$0.10** was announced, representing a **0.3% yield**, with an ex-dividend date set for **August 25th**.

Shares of Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:AEIS - Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday after Wall Street Zen upgraded the stock from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating. The stock traded as high as $146.08 and last traded at $145.33, with a volume of 140431 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $139.81.

Several other equities analysts also recently commented on the stock. Robert W. Baird boosted their target price on shares of Advanced Energy Industries from $124.00 to $132.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, May 1st. TD Cowen upped their price target on shares of Advanced Energy Industries from $118.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 6th. KeyCorp upped their price target on shares of Advanced Energy Industries from $150.00 to $160.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 15th. Needham & Company LLC upped their price target on shares of Advanced Energy Industries from $135.00 to $155.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 6th. Finally, Benchmark upped their price target on shares of Advanced Energy Industries from $130.00 to $150.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 6th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have given a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $138.90.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Advanced Energy Industries news, EVP Paul R. Oldham sold 1,173 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Friday, June 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $131.29, for a total transaction of $154,003.17. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 31,006 shares in the company, valued at $4,070,777.74. The trade was a 3.65% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP John Donaghey sold 2,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $140.00, for a total transaction of $280,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 11,029 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,544,060. The trade was a 15.35% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 1.20% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in AEIS. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System boosted its holdings in shares of Advanced Energy Industries by 0.7% in the 2nd quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System now owns 11,066 shares of the electronics maker's stock valued at $1,466,000 after buying an additional 72 shares in the last quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. boosted its holdings in shares of Advanced Energy Industries by 26.0% in the 1st quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 446 shares of the electronics maker's stock valued at $43,000 after buying an additional 92 shares in the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. boosted its holdings in shares of Advanced Energy Industries by 42.9% in the 2nd quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 313 shares of the electronics maker's stock valued at $41,000 after buying an additional 94 shares in the last quarter. Isthmus Partners LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Advanced Energy Industries by 0.3% in the 1st quarter. Isthmus Partners LLC now owns 29,565 shares of the electronics maker's stock valued at $2,818,000 after buying an additional 96 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Huntington National Bank boosted its holdings in shares of Advanced Energy Industries by 26.8% in the 2nd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 473 shares of the electronics maker's stock valued at $63,000 after buying an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. 99.67% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Advanced Energy Industries Stock Up 0.5%

The firm has a market capitalization of $5.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 68.60, a PEG ratio of 1.29 and a beta of 1.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45, a quick ratio of 2.97 and a current ratio of 4.09. The business's fifty day moving average price is $135.46 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $116.96.

Advanced Energy Industries (NASDAQ:AEIS - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 5th. The electronics maker reported $1.50 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.28 by $0.22. The firm had revenue of $441.50 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $421.32 million. Advanced Energy Industries had a net margin of 5.13% and a return on equity of 12.38%. Advanced Energy Industries's revenue was up 21.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.85 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. will post 3.66 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Advanced Energy Industries Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 5th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 25th will be given a dividend of $0.10 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 25th. This represents a $0.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.3%. Advanced Energy Industries's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 18.10%.

Advanced Energy Industries Company Profile

Advanced Energy Industries, Inc provides precision power conversion, measurement, and control solutions in the United States and internationally. The company's plasma power products offer solutions to enable innovation for semiconductor and thin film plasma processes, such as dry etch and deposition.