Central Puerto (NYSE:CEPU) Shares Down 4.5% - Should You Sell?

Key Points

• Central Puerto's shares fell 4.5%, trading as low as $10.50, with a significant decline in volume, indicating increased selling pressure.
• Analyst ratings have shifted, with Wall Street Zen upgrading the stock from "buy" to "strong-buy," although the consensus remains a "Hold" with a price target of $12.00.
• Incorporating institutional interest, several hedge funds have increased their holdings in Central Puerto, showcasing a varied investment strategy in the wake of recent market fluctuations.

Shares of Central Puerto S.A. Sponsored ADR (NYSE:CEPU - Get Free Report) fell 4.5% during mid-day trading on Monday . The company traded as low as $10.50 and last traded at $10.53. 46,602 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 84% from the average session volume of 291,447 shares. The stock had previously closed at $11.02.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, Wall Street Zen raised shares of Central Puerto from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Sunday, August 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $12.00.

Central Puerto Stock Performance

The company has a current ratio of 1.31, a quick ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.77 and a beta of 1.10. The stock's 50-day moving average is $11.83 and its 200-day moving average is $11.94.

Central Puerto (NYSE:CEPU - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 14th. The company reported $0.48 EPS for the quarter. The company had revenue of $179.60 million during the quarter. Central Puerto had a return on equity of 11.81% and a net margin of 21.30%. On average, analysts predict that Central Puerto S.A. Sponsored ADR will post 0.63 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its position in Central Puerto by 13.6% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 20,531 shares of the company's stock worth $240,000 after buying an additional 2,460 shares during the period. Jane Street Group LLC raised its stake in shares of Central Puerto by 6.9% during the second quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 53,073 shares of the company's stock valued at $620,000 after acquiring an additional 3,424 shares during the last quarter. Advisors Preferred LLC acquired a new position in shares of Central Puerto during the first quarter worth $53,000. Ping Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Central Puerto by 7.0% during the first quarter. Ping Capital Management Inc. now owns 92,000 shares of the company's stock worth $1,020,000 after purchasing an additional 6,000 shares during the period. Finally, Invesco Ltd. raised its position in Central Puerto by 41.1% during the 2nd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 30,434 shares of the company's stock worth $355,000 after purchasing an additional 8,867 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 2.97% of the company's stock.

Central Puerto Company Profile

Central Puerto SA engages in the electric power generation in Argentina. It operates through three segments: Electric Power Generation from Conventional Sources, Electric Power Generation from Renewable Sources, and Natural Gas Transport and Distribution. The company generates energy through thermal, hydroelectric, and wind farms.

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