Jefferies Financial Group Downgrades BAE Systems (LON:BA) to Hold

Key Points

• Jefferies Financial Group downgraded BAE Systems to a Hold while raising its price target to GBX 2,120 (from GBX 2,060), implying roughly a 7.4% upside from the current price.
• Overall analyst consensus is a Moderate Buy with an average target of GBX 2,021.40 — four analysts rate the stock Buy and two rate it Hold.
• An insider, Ewan Kirk, purchased 10,000 shares at GBX 1,678; the stock traded around GBX 1,974 and the company has a market cap of £61.11bn and a high debt-to-equity ratio (94.02).

BAE Systems (LON:BA - Get Free Report) was downgraded by stock analysts at Jefferies Financial Group to a "hold" rating in a note issued to investors on Monday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. They presently have a GBX 2,120 target price on the stock, up from their previous target price of GBX 2,060. Jefferies Financial Group's price target indicates a potential upside of 7.40% from the stock's current price.

Other equities research analysts have also issued research reports about the company. Berenberg Bank restated a "hold" rating and issued a GBX 1,850 price objective on shares of BAE Systems in a research report on Wednesday, November 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued an "overweight" rating on shares of BAE Systems in a report on Tuesday, October 28th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of GBX 2,021.40.

BAE Systems Stock Performance

Shares of BA traded up GBX 0.50 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching GBX 1,974. The company had a trading volume of 3,638,045 shares. BAE Systems has a 52-week low of GBX 1,012.50 and a 52-week high of GBX 1,415.25. The company has a quick ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 94.02. The stock has a market capitalization of £61.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.87, a PEG ratio of 3.33 and a beta of 0.33. The stock has a 50 day moving average of GBX 1,811.36 and a two-hundred day moving average of GBX 1,843.48.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Ewan Kirk purchased 10,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 5th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of GBX 1,678 per share, with a total value of £167,800. Corporate insiders own 0.14% of the company's stock.

About BAE Systems

BAE Systems plc provides defense, aerospace, and security solutions worldwide. The company operates through five segments: Electronic Systems, Platforms & Services, Air, Maritime, and Cyber & Intelligence. The Electronic Systems segment offers electronic warfare systems, navigation systems, electro-optical sensors, military and commercial digital engine and flight controls, precision guidance and seeker solutions, military communication systems and data links, persistent surveillance capabilities, space electronics, and electric drive propulsion systems.

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