Costain Group (LON:COST) Share Price Crosses Above Two Hundred Day Moving Average - Time to Sell?

Key Points

• Costain Group's shares have recently crossed above the 200-day moving average, reaching a high of GBX 131.20 during trading.
• Analysts have a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" with a price target of GBX 162.50, following upgrades from Berenberg Bank and Deutsche Bank.
• Company insiders have been active, with insider Kate Rock acquiring 15,000 shares while insider Helen Willis sold over 100,000 shares recently.

Shares of Costain Group PLC (LON:COST - Get Free Report) crossed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of GBX 127.37 ($1.73) and traded as high as GBX 131.20 ($1.78). Costain Group shares last traded at GBX 130.60 ($1.77), with a volume of 1,378,162 shares changing hands.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have issued reports on COST shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price objective on shares of Costain Group from GBX 115 to GBX 150 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a report on Thursday, August 21st. Berenberg Bank reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a GBX 175 price objective on shares of Costain Group in a report on Monday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Costain Group has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of GBX 162.50.

Costain Group Trading Down 2.1%

The company's 50 day moving average price is GBX 150.41 and its two-hundred day moving average price is GBX 127.90. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 9.86, a current ratio of 1.40 and a quick ratio of 1.32. The stock has a market capitalization of £342.85 million, a PE ratio of 1,118.26, a P/E/G ratio of 1.63 and a beta of 2.64.

Costain Group (LON:COST - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 20th. The company reported GBX 5.50 earnings per share for the quarter. Costain Group had a net margin of 2.33% and a return on equity of 13.56%. As a group, analysts expect that Costain Group PLC will post 13.7551582 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costain Group

In other news, insider Helen Willis sold 100,082 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 142, for a total value of £142,116.44. Also, insider Kate Rock purchased 15,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 27th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of GBX 132 per share, for a total transaction of £19,800. In the last three months, insiders bought 35,000 shares of company stock valued at $4,670,000 and sold 612,435 shares valued at $87,561,906. Corporate insiders own 47.99% of the company's stock.

Costain Group Company Profile

Costain helps to improve people's lives by creating connected, sustainable infrastructure that enables people and the planet thrive. We shape, create and deliver pioneering solutions that transform the performance of the infrastructure ecosystem across the UK's energy, water, transportation and defence markets.