LG Display (NYSE:LPL) Shares Gap Up - Here's Why

Key Points

• Shares gapped up — LG Display opened at $5.38 versus a prior close of $5.05 and last traded around $5.26 on volume of about 471,700 shares.
• Analyst sentiment is broadly negative with a MarketBeat consensus of "Reduce" (four Holds, one Sell) after mixed recent moves including a Zacks upgrade to Hold and downgrades from other shops.
• Fundamentals are strained: the company reported a quarterly loss of ($0.14) EPS, has low liquidity ratios (quick 0.46, current 0.73), debt/equity of 1.14, a $5.26B market cap, and analysts forecast modest 0.08 EPS for the year.

LG Display Co., Ltd. (NYSE:LPL - Get Free Report) shares gapped up before the market opened on Wednesday . The stock had previously closed at $5.05, but opened at $5.38. LG Display shares last traded at $5.2580, with a volume of 471,697 shares traded.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages recently issued reports on LPL. Zacks Research upgraded LG Display from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, March 30th. Wall Street Zen cut LG Display from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, March 7th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of LG Display in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Reduce".

LG Display Price Performance

The company has a quick ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 0.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.14. The company has a market capitalization of $5.26 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.66, a PEG ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.56. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $4.32 and a 200-day simple moving average of $4.43.

LG Display (NYSE:LPL - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Friday, February 13th. The electronics maker reported ($0.14) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The company had revenue of $4.61 billion during the quarter. LG Display had a net margin of 0.98% and a return on equity of 3.26%. Analysts predict that LG Display Co., Ltd. will post 0.08 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of LG Display by 14.6% during the third quarter. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC now owns 16,125 shares of the electronics maker's stock valued at $80,000 after purchasing an additional 2,060 shares during the period. Plan A Wealth LLC increased its holdings in shares of LG Display by 21.4% during the third quarter. Plan A Wealth LLC now owns 13,002 shares of the electronics maker's stock valued at $68,000 after purchasing an additional 2,296 shares during the period. CWM LLC increased its holdings in shares of LG Display by 14.4% during the fourth quarter. CWM LLC now owns 27,617 shares of the electronics maker's stock valued at $116,000 after purchasing an additional 3,469 shares during the period. Diversified Trust Co. increased its holdings in shares of LG Display by 34.1% during the fourth quarter. Diversified Trust Co. now owns 18,576 shares of the electronics maker's stock valued at $78,000 after purchasing an additional 4,723 shares during the period. Finally, Ieq Capital LLC increased its holdings in shares of LG Display by 4.2% during the fourth quarter. Ieq Capital LLC now owns 120,985 shares of the electronics maker's stock valued at $509,000 after purchasing an additional 4,870 shares during the period.

About LG Display

LG Display Co, Ltd., headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, is a global manufacturer of thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels. The company designs and produces display solutions for a wide range of applications, including televisions, desktop monitors, notebook computers, tablets, smartphones, signage and automotive screens. Its product offerings span large-screen television modules, ultra-high definition monitors, flexible and transparent OLED displays, and specialized industrial panels.

LG Display operates a network of production facilities and research centers across Asia, including major manufacturing sites in Paju and Gumi, South Korea, as well as Wuhan, China.

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