Jefferies Financial Group Inc. Takes Position in Azenta, Inc. (NASDAQ:AZTA)

Key Points

• Jefferies Financial Group Inc. has invested approximately $1.62 million in Azenta, acquiring 46,705 shares, which amounts to about 0.10% of the company's stock.
• Several institutional investors have increased their stakes in Azenta, with 99.08% of the stock currently owned by such investors and hedge funds.
• Analysts have set varying price targets for Azenta shares, with Evercore ISI raising its target from $29 to $35 while Needham & Company lowered theirs from $59 to $40.

Jefferies Financial Group Inc. bought a new position in Azenta, Inc. (NASDAQ:AZTA - Free Report) in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor bought 46,705 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,618,000. Jefferies Financial Group Inc. owned about 0.10% of Azenta at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. American Century Companies Inc. grew its position in Azenta by 10.8% in the 4th quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 99,210 shares of the company's stock valued at $4,960,000 after purchasing an additional 9,640 shares during the period. LPL Financial LLC raised its stake in shares of Azenta by 31.4% during the 4th quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 50,342 shares of the company's stock worth $2,590,000 after purchasing an additional 12,033 shares during the period. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Azenta during the 4th quarter worth $25,403,000. Franklin Resources Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Azenta during the 4th quarter worth $256,000. Finally, Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new stake in Azenta in the 4th quarter valued at about $40,000. Institutional investors own 99.08% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

AZTA has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Needham & Company LLC cut their target price on Azenta from $59.00 to $40.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, May 7th. Evercore ISI decreased their price objective on Azenta from $35.00 to $33.00 and set an "in-line" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, Stephens began coverage on Azenta in a report on Tuesday, July 22nd. They set an "equal weight" rating and a $35.00 price target for the company.

Azenta Price Performance

Shares of AZTA stock traded down $5.51 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $26.90. The stock had a trading volume of 2,081,509 shares, compared to its average volume of 573,560. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.23 billion, a P/E ratio of -19.35 and a beta of 1.59. Azenta, Inc. has a 12-month low of $23.91 and a 12-month high of $60.60. The firm's 50-day moving average is $31.03 and its two-hundred day moving average is $34.91.

Azenta (NASDAQ:AZTA - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 5th. The company reported $0.19 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.13 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $143.94 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $149.64 million. Azenta had a positive return on equity of 1.30% and a negative net margin of 10.31%. The firm's revenue was up .0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.14 earnings per share. Analysts expect that Azenta, Inc. will post 0.53 EPS for the current year.

Azenta Company Profile

Azenta, Inc provides biological and chemical compound sample exploration and management solutions for the life sciences market in North America, Africa, China, the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company operates in two reportable segments, Life Sciences Products and Life Sciences Services.