Essentra (LON:ESNT) Shares Pass Below Two Hundred Day Moving Average - Here's What Happened

Essentra plc (LON:ESNT - Get Free Report)'s stock price crossed below its 200-day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of GBX 122.23 ($1.63) and traded as low as GBX 94.10 ($1.25). Essentra shares last traded at GBX 99.01 ($1.32), with a volume of 630,654 shares.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, Berenberg Bank reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a GBX 170 ($2.26) price target on shares of Essentra in a research report on Wednesday, March 26th.

Essentra Stock Up 1.5%

The company has a quick ratio of 0.50, a current ratio of 1.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 51.89. The company has a market cap of £284.71 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 81.60, a PEG ratio of 3.84 and a beta of 1.18. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of GBX 98.59 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of GBX 120.75.

Essentra (LON:ESNT - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 19th. The company reported GBX 8.50 ($0.11) earnings per share for the quarter. Essentra had a return on equity of 1.28% and a net margin of 1.13%. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Essentra plc will post 524.137931 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Essentra Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 3rd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 15th will be issued a GBX 1.55 ($0.02) dividend. This is a boost from Essentra's previous dividend of $1.25. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, May 15th. This represents a yield of 1.41%. Essentra's dividend payout ratio is 329.52%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Essentra

In related news, insider Rowan Baker bought 10,036 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 24th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of GBX 104 ($1.38) per share, with a total value of £10,437.44 ($13,879.57). Also, insider Steve Good bought 35,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 20th. The stock was bought at an average cost of GBX 109 ($1.45) per share, with a total value of £38,150 ($50,731.38). Insiders own 0.99% of the company's stock.

About Essentra

Essentra plc is a leading global provider of essential components and solutions, focusing on the manufacture and distribution of plastic injection moulded, vinyl dip moulded and metal items. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, Essentra's global network extends to 28 countries worldwide and includes c.3,000 employees, 14 manufacturing facilities, 26 distribution centres and 37 sales & service centres serving c.64,000 customers with a rapid supply of low cost but essential products for a variety of applications in industries such as equipment manufacturing, automotive, fabrication, electronics, medical and renewable energy.