Diploma (LON:DPLM) Shares Cross Above 200-Day Moving Average - Time to Sell?

Key Points

• Diploma PLC's stock price surpassed its 200-day moving average, indicating a potential upward trend, closing at GBX 5,350 ($71.01) with a daily trade volume of 188,758 shares.
• Analysts have mixed ratings for Diploma, with Shore Capital maintaining a "hold" rating and a price target of GBX 5,100 ($67.69), while Berenberg Bank increased its target to GBX 5,750 ($76.32) and rated it as a "buy."
• Insider activity includes a purchase of 44 shares by Katie Bickerstaffe at GBX 4,867 ($64.60), contributing to a total of 96 shares bought by insiders in the last three months.

Diploma PLC (LON:DPLM - Get Free Report) shares passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Friday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of GBX 4,441.51 ($59.05) and traded as high as GBX 5,375 ($71.47). Diploma shares last traded at GBX 5,350 ($71.13), with a volume of 188,758 shares traded.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on DPLM shares. Shore Capital restated a "hold" rating and issued a GBX 5,100 ($67.81) price target on shares of Diploma in a research report on Thursday, July 17th. Berenberg Bank boosted their price target on shares of Diploma from GBX 5,600 ($74.46) to GBX 5,750 ($76.45) and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, July 18th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated a "neutral" rating and issued a GBX 4,440 ($59.03) price target on shares of Diploma in a research report on Wednesday.

Diploma Price Performance

The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 2.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 62.17. The firm's 50 day simple moving average is GBX 4,919.81 and its 200 day simple moving average is GBX 4,457.18. The company has a market capitalization of £7.22 billion, a PE ratio of 62.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 0.75.

Diploma (LON:DPLM - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 21st. The company reported GBX 80.20 ($1.07) EPS for the quarter. Diploma had a net margin of 9.25% and a return on equity of 13.18%. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Diploma PLC will post 163.7995512 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider Katie Bickerstaffe bought 44 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 21st. The stock was purchased at an average cost of GBX 4,867 ($64.71) per share, with a total value of £2,141.48 ($2,847.33). Insiders have acquired 96 shares of company stock worth $473,173 over the last ninety days. 0.52% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Diploma Company Profile

Diploma PLC, together with its subsidiaries, supplies specialized technical products and services in the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, North America, and internationally. It operates through three business sectors: Life Sciences, Seals, and Controls. The Life Sciences sector supplies technology-enabled products used in surgical procedures in operating theatres and endoscopy; testing equipment and services for clinical laboratories; and bio-pharma, food safety and testing, and other research-oriented products.