Halma (LON:HLMA) Reaches New 52-Week High - Should You Buy?

Key Points

• Shares of Halma plc reached a new 52-week high, trading at GBX 3,450 ($46.34), with a significant volume of 647,560 shares exchanged.
• Brokerages have issued mixed ratings, with two analysts recommending a "buy" and three giving a "hold," while the average price target is set at GBX 3,316.
• Insider Jennifer Ward sold 15,000 shares at an average price of GBX 3,381, representing a total value of £507,150, highlighting insider activity amid rising stock prices.

Shares of Halma plc (LON:HLMA - Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high on Tuesday . The company traded as high as GBX 3,450 ($46.34) and last traded at GBX 3,450 ($46.34), with a volume of 647560 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 3,390 ($45.53).

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on HLMA. Berenberg Bank boosted their price target on Halma from GBX 3,250 to GBX 3,750 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 10th. The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on Halma in a research note on Thursday, August 7th. They set a "buy" rating and a GBX 3,740 price target on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their price target on Halma from GBX 3,200 to GBX 3,290 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday, September 5th. Finally, Shore Capital restated a "hold" rating on shares of Halma in a research note on Friday. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of GBX 3,316.

Halma Trading Up 1.8%

The stock has a 50-day moving average of GBX 3,278.40 and a 200 day moving average of GBX 3,022.31. The stock has a market cap of £13.03 billion, a PE ratio of 4,415.15, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.93 and a beta of 0.53. The company has a quick ratio of 1.51, a current ratio of 2.45 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 45.83.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Halma news, insider Jennifer Ward sold 15,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, September 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 3,381, for a total value of £507,150. 0.81% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

About Halma

Halma is a global group of life-saving technology companies, focused on growing a safer, cleaner, healthier future for everyone, every day. Its purpose defines the three broad markets it operates in: - Safety - Protecting people's safety and the environment as populations grow, and enhancing worker safety. - Environment - Addressing the impacts of climate change, pollution and waste, protecting life-critical resources and supporting scientific research. - Health - Meeting the increasing demand for better healthcare as chronic illness rises, driven by growing and ageing populations and lifestyle changes. Halma employs over 8,000 people in more than 20 countries, with major operations in the UK, Mainland Europe, the USA and Asia Pacific.

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