Centrus Energy (NYSE:LEU) Shares Gap Up - Should You Buy?

Centrus Energy Corp. (NYSE:LEU - Get Free Report)'s share price gapped up before the market opened on Friday . The stock had previously closed at $93.17, but opened at $111.75. Centrus Energy shares last traded at $117.00, with a volume of 1,514,076 shares.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

LEU has been the topic of several recent research reports. Evercore ISI assumed coverage on Centrus Energy in a research report on Wednesday, May 14th. They set an "outperform" rating and a $145.00 target price on the stock. Citigroup started coverage on Centrus Energy in a research report on Tuesday, March 4th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $104.00 price objective on the stock. HC Wainwright started coverage on Centrus Energy in a research note on Tuesday, February 25th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $300.00 target price on the stock. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Centrus Energy to a "sell" rating in a report on Monday, February 10th. Finally, Craig Hallum assumed coverage on shares of Centrus Energy in a report on Tuesday, April 1st. They issued a "buy" rating and a $129.00 price target on the stock. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Centrus Energy has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $143.67.

Centrus Energy Stock Up 21.6%

The company has a 50-day moving average of $74.53 and a 200-day moving average of $79.47. The company has a current ratio of 2.93, a quick ratio of 2.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.09. The company has a market capitalization of $1.90 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.69 and a beta of 1.14.

Centrus Energy (NYSE:LEU - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 7th. The company reported $1.60 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.08) by $1.68. Centrus Energy had a return on equity of 84.09% and a net margin of 16.56%. Centrus Energy's revenue was up 67.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned ($0.38) EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Centrus Energy Corp. will post 2.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other news, SVP John M. A. Donelson sold 3,732 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $96.31, for a total value of $359,428.92. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 1.00% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Centrus Energy

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Barclays PLC lifted its stake in Centrus Energy by 103.8% during the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 37,588 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,061,000 after acquiring an additional 19,140 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its holdings in shares of Centrus Energy by 3.0% during the third quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 6,288 shares of the company's stock worth $345,000 after purchasing an additional 186 shares during the last quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC raised its holdings in shares of Centrus Energy by 39.8% during the fourth quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 7,174 shares of the company's stock worth $478,000 after purchasing an additional 2,043 shares during the last quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC lifted its position in Centrus Energy by 5.9% during the fourth quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 10,099 shares of the company's stock valued at $673,000 after purchasing an additional 562 shares during the period. Finally, Legacy Bridge LLC purchased a new stake in Centrus Energy in the fourth quarter valued at $657,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 49.96% of the company's stock.

Centrus Energy Company Profile

Centrus Energy Corp. supplies nuclear fuel components and services for the nuclear power industry in the United States, Belgium, Japan, and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU) and Technical Solutions. The LEU segment sells separative work units (SWU) components of LEU; natural uranium hexafluoride, uranium concentrates, and uranium conversion; and enriched uranium products to utilities that operate nuclear power plants.