Comerica Bank Increases Holdings in ESCO Technologies Inc. (NYSE:ESE)

Comerica Bank lifted its stake in shares of ESCO Technologies Inc. (NYSE:ESE - Free Report) by 3.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 87,351 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock after purchasing an additional 3,221 shares during the quarter. Comerica Bank owned 0.34% of ESCO Technologies worth $11,636,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its position in ESCO Technologies by 152.6% during the 4th quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 380,104 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $50,634,000 after purchasing an additional 229,601 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of ESCO Technologies during the 4th quarter worth $13,066,000. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. acquired a new stake in shares of ESCO Technologies during the 4th quarter worth about $11,435,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its holdings in ESCO Technologies by 87.3% in the 4th quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 144,039 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock valued at $19,187,000 after purchasing an additional 67,116 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Susquehanna Fundamental Investments LLC bought a new position in ESCO Technologies during the 4th quarter worth approximately $6,287,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 95.70% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have recently weighed in on the company. StockNews.com lowered ESCO Technologies from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, March 21st. Benchmark increased their target price on shares of ESCO Technologies from $150.00 to $190.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 11th. Finally, Stephens reiterated an "overweight" rating and issued a $175.00 target price on shares of ESCO Technologies in a research report on Thursday, February 27th.

ESCO Technologies Stock Up 7.7 %

Shares of ESCO Technologies stock traded up $12.64 on Thursday, hitting $176.17. 122,709 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 130,005. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $156.19 and a 200 day moving average price of $146.38. The company has a market cap of $4.55 billion, a PE ratio of 41.45 and a beta of 1.19. The company has a quick ratio of 1.35, a current ratio of 2.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. ESCO Technologies Inc. has a 12-month low of $101.42 and a 12-month high of $178.87.

ESCO Technologies (NYSE:ESE - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, May 7th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.35 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.25 by $0.10. ESCO Technologies had a net margin of 10.44% and a return on equity of 9.91%. The firm had revenue of $265.52 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $264.96 million. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.09 EPS. The business's quarterly revenue was up 6.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts predict that ESCO Technologies Inc. will post 5.65 earnings per share for the current year.

ESCO Technologies Profile

ESCO Technologies Inc produces and supplies engineered products and systems for industrial and commercial markets worldwide. It operates through three segments: Aerospace & Defense, Utility Solutions Group, and RF Test & Measurement. The Aerospace & Defense segment designs and manufactures filtration products, including hydraulic filter elements and fluid control devices used in commercial aerospace applications; filter mechanisms used in micro-propulsion devices for satellites; and custom designed filters for manned aircraft and submarines.