Keysight Technologies Inc. (NYSE:KEYS) Shares Sold by Principal Financial Group Inc.

Principal Financial Group Inc. decreased its stake in shares of Keysight Technologies Inc. (NYSE:KEYS - Free Report) by 0.7% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 213,399 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock after selling 1,564 shares during the period. Principal Financial Group Inc. owned 0.12% of Keysight Technologies worth $31,961,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division grew its stake in Keysight Technologies by 97.8% during the first quarter. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division now owns 182 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 90 shares during the period. Private Trust Co. NA grew its stake in Keysight Technologies by 39.9% during the first quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 263 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $39,000 after buying an additional 75 shares during the period. Sunbelt Securities Inc. grew its stake in Keysight Technologies by 241.8% during the fourth quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. now owns 270 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $44,000 after buying an additional 191 shares during the period. Goodman Advisory Group LLC purchased a new stake in Keysight Technologies during the first quarter worth approximately $51,000. Finally, Quarry LP grew its stake in Keysight Technologies by 188.1% during the fourth quarter. Quarry LP now owns 435 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $70,000 after buying an additional 284 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.58% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CFO Neil Dougherty sold 12,215 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Monday, June 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $164.60, for a total transaction of $2,010,589.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 115,228 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $18,966,528.80. The trade was a 9.58% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Richard P. Hamada sold 1,589 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $162.00, for a total transaction of $257,418.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 42,160 shares in the company, valued at $6,829,920. This trade represents a 3.63% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 31,830 shares of company stock valued at $5,124,049. 0.61% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Keysight Technologies Stock Performance

Shares of KEYS opened at $162.42 on Tuesday. Keysight Technologies Inc. has a one year low of $119.72 and a one year high of $186.20. The company has a 50-day moving average of $159.34 and a two-hundred day moving average of $158.78. The stock has a market cap of $27.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.13, a PEG ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 1.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 3.39 and a quick ratio of 2.75.

Keysight Technologies (NYSE:KEYS - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 20th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.70 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.65 by $0.05. The business had revenue of $1.32 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.28 billion. Keysight Technologies had a net margin of 14.50% and a return on equity of 19.65%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 7.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.41 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts expect that Keysight Technologies Inc. will post 6.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Keysight Technologies from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, March 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of Keysight Technologies from $172.00 to $177.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 21st. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on shares of Keysight Technologies from $156.00 to $180.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 13th. Finally, Bank of America upped their target price on shares of Keysight Technologies from $165.00 to $170.00 and gave the company an "underperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 22nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Keysight Technologies currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $183.00.

Keysight Technologies Profile

Keysight Technologies, Inc provides electronic design and test solutions to commercial communications, networking, aerospace, defense and government, automotive, energy, semiconductor, electronic, and education industries in the Americas, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates in two segments, Communications Solutions Group and Electronic Industrial Solutions Group.

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