FirstGroup (LON:FGP) Stock Passes Above Two Hundred Day Moving Average - What's Next?

Key Points

• FirstGroup plc's shares have crossed above their 200-day moving average, indicating potential positive momentum, with current trading around GBX 221.60 ($2.99).
• Berenberg Bank has raised its price target for FirstGroup shares from GBX 215 to GBX 240 and assigned the stock a "buy" rating.
• Insider selling has occurred, with notable transactions including the sale of 458,035 shares by Graham Sutherland and 950,000 shares by Ryan Mangold, suggesting possible concerns about stock performance.

FirstGroup plc (LON:FGP - Get Free Report)'s share price crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Friday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of GBX 193.19 ($2.60) and traded as high as GBX 225 ($3.02). FirstGroup shares last traded at GBX 221.60 ($2.98), with a volume of 859,878 shares changing hands.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, Berenberg Bank boosted their price target on shares of FirstGroup from GBX 215 to GBX 240 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, July 7th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of GBX 240.

FirstGroup Stock Performance

The firm's fifty day moving average price is GBX 224.44 and its 200 day moving average price is GBX 194.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 257.49, a quick ratio of 0.74 and a current ratio of 0.69. The firm has a market cap of £1.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 1,048.78, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.21 and a beta of 1.59.

FirstGroup (LON:FGP - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, June 10th. The transport operator reported GBX 19.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. FirstGroup had a negative return on equity of 2.54% and a negative net margin of 0.34%. Sell-side analysts expect that FirstGroup plc will post 17.3782772 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at FirstGroup

In related news, insider Ryan Mangold sold 950,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 224, for a total value of £2,128,000. Also, insider Graham Sutherland sold 458,035 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Monday, August 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 226, for a total transaction of £1,035,159.10. Insiders sold 1,930,497 shares of company stock worth $434,342,322 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.94% of the company's stock.

About FirstGroup

FirstGroup plc provides public transport services in the United Kingdom. The company operates through First Bus and First Rail segments. The First Bus segment offers local bus services with a fleet of approximately 4,900 buses in the United Kingdom. The First Rail segment operates a passenger rail network that provides long-distance, commuter, regional, and sleeper services through a portfolio of Great Western Railway, South Western Railway, TransPennine Express, and Avanti West Coast franchises; and hull trains and Lumos.