Diploma (LON:DPLM) Shares Pass Above 200-Day Moving Average - Here's What Happened

Key Points

• Diploma PLC's stock price has recently crossed above its 200-day moving average of GBX 4,394.58, trading as high as GBX 5,277.50.
• Brokerages have mixed outlooks on Diploma stock, with Berenberg Bank raising its target price to GBX 5,750 and maintaining a "buy" rating, while Shore Capital issued a "hold" rating with a target of GBX 5,100.
• Insider Katie Bickerstaffe recently purchased 44 shares of Diploma at GBX 4,867, part of a larger trend where insiders have acquired 96 shares valued at approximately $473,173 over the last 90 days.

Diploma PLC (LON:DPLM - Get Free Report)'s share price passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of GBX 4,394.58 ($59.05) and traded as high as GBX 5,277.50 ($70.92). Diploma shares last traded at GBX 5,252.32 ($70.58), with a volume of 246,260 shares trading hands.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

DPLM has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Shore Capital restated a "hold" rating and issued a GBX 5,100 ($68.53) price target on shares of Diploma in a research note on Thursday, July 17th. Berenberg Bank raised their price objective on Diploma from GBX 5,600 ($75.25) to GBX 5,750 ($77.26) and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, July 18th.

Diploma Stock Performance

The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of GBX 4,830.27 and a 200-day simple moving average of GBX 4,403.97. The company has a market cap of £6.98 billion, a PE ratio of 60.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 2.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 62.17.

Diploma (LON:DPLM - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 21st. The company reported GBX 80.20 ($1.08) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Diploma had a return on equity of 13.18% and a net margin of 9.25%. On average, research analysts forecast that Diploma PLC will post 163.7995512 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider Katie Bickerstaffe purchased 44 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 21st. The shares were purchased at an average price of GBX 4,867 ($65.40) per share, with a total value of £2,141.48 ($2,877.56). Insiders bought a total of 96 shares of company stock worth $473,173 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.52% of the company's stock.

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.