Centrus Energy (NYSE:LEU) Trading 9.9% Higher - Still a Buy?

Shares of Centrus Energy Corp. (NYSE:LEU - Get Free Report) traded up 9.9% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $165.00 and last traded at $160.42. 945,893 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 8% from the average session volume of 871,894 shares. The stock had previously closed at $145.92.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the company. William Blair assumed coverage on Centrus Energy in a research report on Wednesday, May 28th. They set an "outperform" rating for the company. Craig Hallum started coverage on Centrus Energy in a research report on Tuesday, April 1st. They set a "buy" rating and a $129.00 price target for the company. Evercore ISI started coverage on Centrus Energy in a report on Wednesday, May 14th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $145.00 price objective for the company. HC Wainwright began coverage on Centrus Energy in a report on Tuesday, February 25th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $300.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Bank of America began coverage on Centrus Energy in a report on Wednesday, June 4th. They set a "buy" rating and a $160.00 target price for the company. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $146.00.

Centrus Energy Stock Performance

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 firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $95.19 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $85.19. The company has a market capitalization of $2.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.79 and a beta of 1.37.

Centrus Energy (NYSE:LEU - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 7th. The company reported $1.60 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.08) by $1.68. Centrus Energy had a return on equity of 84.09% and a net margin of 16.56%. The business's quarterly revenue was up 67.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted ($0.38) earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Centrus Energy Corp. will post 2.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Centrus Energy

In other news, CFO Kevin J. Harrill sold 1,728 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $126.00, for a total transaction of $217,728.00. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, SVP John M. A. Donelson sold 3,732 shares of the company'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 disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.00% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Centrus Energy

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Nuveen Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Centrus Energy by 0.6% in the 4th quarter. Nuveen Asset Management LLC now owns 29,226 shares of the company's stock worth $1,947,000 after buying an additional 188 shares in the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Centrus Energy by 77.4% in the 4th quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 440 shares of the company's stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 192 shares in the last quarter. Old West Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Centrus Energy by 1.9% in the 4th quarter. Old West Investment Management LLC now owns 10,147 shares of the company's stock worth $676,000 after buying an additional 192 shares in the last quarter. Summit Investment Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Centrus Energy by 16.2% in the 4th quarter. Summit Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 1,399 shares of the company's stock worth $93,000 after buying an additional 195 shares in the last quarter. Finally, New York State Common Retirement Fund raised its holdings in shares of Centrus Energy by 4.6% in the 1st quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund now owns 4,504 shares of the company's stock worth $280,000 after buying an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 49.96% of the company's stock.

About Centrus Energy

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.