Deutsche Bank AG Raises Stake in Astec Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTE)

Deutsche Bank AG increased its stake in shares of Astec Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTE - Free Report) by 54.0% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 19,854 shares of the industrial products company's stock after acquiring an additional 6,959 shares during the quarter. Deutsche Bank AG owned approximately 0.09% of Astec Industries worth $667,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Sterling Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Astec Industries by 802.5% during the fourth quarter. Sterling Capital Management LLC now owns 731 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 650 shares during the last quarter. R Squared Ltd purchased a new position in Astec Industries during the 4th quarter valued at about $42,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in Astec Industries during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $86,000. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS purchased a new stake in Astec Industries in the 4th quarter worth approximately $128,000. Finally, Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. purchased a new stake in Astec Industries in the 4th quarter worth approximately $204,000. 93.16% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Astec Industries Trading Down 0.3%

Shares of NASDAQ ASTE traded down $0.13 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $39.44. 166,254 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 153,397. Astec Industries, Inc. has a 12-month low of $28.46 and a 12-month high of $42.79. The firm has a market cap of $901.87 million, a P/E ratio of -492.94 and a beta of 1.40. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $36.60 and a 200 day moving average price of $35.59. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a current ratio of 2.47.

Astec Industries (NASDAQ:ASTE - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, April 29th. The industrial products company reported $0.88 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.46 by $0.42. Astec Industries had a positive return on equity of 7.69% and a negative net margin of 0.15%. The firm had revenue of $329.40 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $320.40 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.34 EPS. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 6.5% on a year-over-year basis.

Astec Industries Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 30th. Investors of record on Tuesday, May 13th will be paid a $0.13 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, May 13th. This represents a $0.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.32%. Astec Industries's payout ratio is 78.79%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have recently issued reports on ASTE. Wall Street Zen raised Astec Industries from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Friday, May 9th. Robert W. Baird boosted their price objective on shares of Astec Industries from $40.00 to $41.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 27th.

Astec Industries Profile

Astec Industries, Inc designs, engineers, manufactures, and markets equipment and components used primarily in road building and related construction activities worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Infrastructure Solutions and Materials Solutions. The Infrastructure Solutions segment offers asphalt plants and related components, heaters, concrete dust control systems, asphalt pavers, vaporizers, concrete material handling systems, screeds, heat recovery units, paste back-fill plants, asphalt storage tanks, hot oil heaters, bagging plants, fuel storage tanks, industrial and asphalt burners and systems, custom batch plants, material transfer vehicles, soil stabilizing-reclaiming machinery, blower trucks and trailers, milling machines, soil remediation plants, wood chippers and grinders, pump trailers, concrete batch plants, control systems, liquid terminals, storage equipment and related parts, construction and retrofits, polymer plants, and concrete mixers, as well as engineering and environmental permitting services.