Two Sigma Investments LP Has $1.07 Million Position in Astec Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTE)

Two Sigma Investments LP increased its stake in Astec Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTE - Free Report) by 45.1% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 31,833 shares of the industrial products company's stock after purchasing an additional 9,897 shares during the quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP owned approximately 0.14% of Astec Industries worth $1,070,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Sterling Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Astec Industries by 802.5% in the 4th quarter. Sterling Capital Management LLC now owns 731 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 650 shares during the period. Meeder Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in Astec Industries in 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. Point72 Asset Management L.P. boosted its stake in shares of Astec Industries by 200.9% during the 4th quarter. Point72 Asset Management L.P. now owns 4,213 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $142,000 after buying an additional 2,813 shares during the period. Finally, Sherbrooke Park Advisers LLC acquired a new position in shares of Astec Industries in the fourth quarter worth $201,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.16% of the company's stock.

Astec Industries Stock Performance

Astec Industries stock traded up $0.59 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $40.65. The stock had a trading volume of 176,304 shares, compared to its average volume of 153,531. The company has a 50-day moving average of $37.03 and a two-hundred day moving average of $35.67. The company has a quick ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 2.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16. The company has a market cap of $929.54 million, a PE ratio of -508.06 and a beta of 1.40. Astec Industries, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $28.46 and a fifty-two week high of $42.79.

Astec Industries (NASDAQ:ASTE - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, April 29th. The industrial products company reported $0.88 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 business had revenue of $329.40 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $320.40 million. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.34 EPS. Astec Industries's revenue was up 6.5% on a year-over-year basis.

Astec Industries Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 30th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, May 13th were paid a $0.13 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, May 13th. This represents a $0.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.28%. Astec Industries's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 78.79%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

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

About Astec Industries

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.