Lazard Asset Management LLC Increases Stock Holdings in Benchmark Electronics, Inc. (NYSE:BHE)

Lazard Asset Management LLC raised its position in Benchmark Electronics, Inc. (NYSE:BHE - Free Report) by 41.8% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 43,341 shares of the technology company's stock after purchasing an additional 12,769 shares during the quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC owned 0.12% of Benchmark Electronics worth $1,966,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in BHE. Highland Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in Benchmark Electronics by 6.4% in the fourth quarter. Highland Capital Management LLC now owns 5,620 shares of the technology company's stock valued at $255,000 after buying an additional 337 shares during the period. Mariner LLC grew its position in Benchmark Electronics by 2.4% in the 4th quarter. Mariner LLC now owns 14,846 shares of the technology company's stock valued at $676,000 after purchasing an additional 353 shares during the period. Martingale Asset Management L P lifted its stake in Benchmark Electronics by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. Martingale Asset Management L P now owns 73,047 shares of the technology company's stock valued at $3,316,000 after acquiring an additional 356 shares in the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can grew its position in Benchmark Electronics by 10.7% in the 4th quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 5,100 shares of the technology company's stock worth $232,000 after purchasing an additional 495 shares in the last quarter. Finally, KBC Group NV raised its stake in shares of Benchmark Electronics by 40.2% during the 4th quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 2,151 shares of the technology company's stock worth $98,000 after purchasing an additional 617 shares during the period. 92.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Benchmark Electronics Stock Up 0.3%

Shares of NYSE BHE traded up $0.12 during trading on Thursday, reaching $36.51. The company had a trading volume of 91,922 shares, compared to its average volume of 326,311. The business's 50-day moving average is $36.71 and its 200 day moving average is $42.20. The company has a quick ratio of 1.46, a current ratio of 2.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24. Benchmark Electronics, Inc. has a 12-month low of $30.73 and a 12-month high of $52.57. The stock has a market cap of $1.32 billion, a PE ratio of 21.12 and a beta of 0.92.

Benchmark Electronics (NYSE:BHE - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 29th. The technology company reported $0.52 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.50 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $631.76 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $640.00 million. Benchmark Electronics had a return on equity of 6.68% and a net margin of 2.38%. The company's revenue for the quarter was down 6.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.55 EPS.

Benchmark Electronics Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, April 11th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 31st were issued a dividend of $0.17 per share. This represents a $0.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.86%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 31st. Benchmark Electronics's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 46.90%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Benchmark Electronics news, CEO Jeff Benck sold 6,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $38.82, for a total value of $232,920.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 448,180 shares in the company, valued at $17,398,347.60. This represents a 1.32% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 2.20% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have commented on BHE. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Benchmark Electronics from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, May 2nd. Lake Street Capital cut their target price on Benchmark Electronics from $52.00 to $46.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 30th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reduced their price objective on Benchmark Electronics from $50.00 to $48.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 30th.

Benchmark Electronics Company Profile

Benchmark Electronics, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, offers product design, engineering services, technology solutions, and manufacturing services in the Americas, Asia, and Europe. The company provides engineering services and technology solutions, including new product design, prototype, testing, and related engineering services; and custom testing and technology solutions, as well as automation equipment design and build services.