Centrica (LON:CNA) Hits New 1-Year High - Here's Why

Key Points

• Shares hit a new 52-week high — Centrica traded as high as GBX 220.10 (last GBX 218.91) on Tuesday with volume around 52.4 million shares.
• Analysts turned more positive, with RBC and Citigroup raising targets (to GBX 215 and GBX 218) and a consensus rating of Moderate Buy (average target GBX 202.40).
• Fundamentals are mixed: market cap £9.85bn but a negative P/E (-145) and thin net margin (0.37%); insiders have made small recent purchases while aggregate insider sales far exceed buys in the last 90 days.

Shares of Centrica plc (LON:CNA - Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high on Tuesday . The company traded as high as GBX 220.10 and last traded at GBX 218.91, with a volume of 52394008 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 218.50.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their target price on Centrica from GBX 200 to GBX 215 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of Centrica from GBX 200 to GBX 218 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, March 11th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Centrica currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of GBX 202.40.

Centrica Stock Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of £9.85 billion, a P/E ratio of -145.00, a PEG ratio of 0.45 and a beta of 0.48. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 98.77, a quick ratio of 0.40 and a current ratio of 1.45. The company's fifty day simple moving average is GBX 198.56 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is GBX 181.34.

Centrica (LON:CNA - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Friday, February 20th. The integrated energy company reported GBX 11.20 earnings per share for the quarter. Centrica had a return on equity of 1.68% and a net margin of 0.37%.

Insider Activity at Centrica

In other news, insider Frank Mastiaux bought 1,321 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 25th. The stock was bought at an average price of GBX 198 per share, with a total value of £2,615.58. Also, insider Philippe Boisseau bought 1,021 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 26th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of GBX 184 per share, with a total value of £1,878.64. In the last ninety days, insiders have acquired 11,328 shares of company stock valued at $2,152,763 and have sold 1,273,167 shares valued at $254,633,400. Corporate insiders own 0.39% of the company's stock.

Centrica Company Profile

Centrica is energising a greener, fairer future for our colleagues, customers and communities. Our integrated business operates across the energy value chain, with over ten million Retail customers, leading brands such as British Gas and Bord Gáis Energy, and the UK's largest energy services workforce. Our Infrastructure businesses bring gas and electricity to the market every day and provide more than half of the UK's gas storage capacity, while our Optimisation business delivers world-class procurement and route-to-market capabilities to the Group and third parties, supporting energy security and our customers' decarbonisation journeys.

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