Motorola Solutions (NYSE:MSI) Shares Gap Down - Should You Sell?

Motorola Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:MSI - Get Free Report) shares gapped down prior to trading on Friday . The stock had previously closed at $439.16, but opened at $417.35. Motorola Solutions shares last traded at $407.13, with a volume of 456,610 shares traded.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on MSI shares. Barclays cut their price target on shares of Motorola Solutions from $527.00 to $511.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Monday. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Motorola Solutions from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on Motorola Solutions from $570.00 to $515.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 17th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their price target on Motorola Solutions from $495.00 to $505.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Friday, February 14th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $513.25.

Motorola Solutions Trading Up 2.0 %

The company has a quick ratio of 1.13, a current ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.30. The business has a 50-day moving average of $422.77 and a 200-day moving average of $453.26. The stock has a market cap of $69.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 44.83, a PEG ratio of 3.82 and a beta of 0.98.

Motorola Solutions (NYSE:MSI - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 1st. The communications equipment provider reported $3.18 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $3.01 by $0.17. The firm had revenue of $2.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $2.52 billion. Motorola Solutions had a net margin of 14.58% and a return on equity of 197.59%. Motorola Solutions's revenue for the quarter was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.81 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts forecast that Motorola Solutions, Inc. will post 13.55 earnings per share for the current year.

Motorola Solutions Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, April 15th. Investors of record on Friday, March 14th were paid a $1.09 dividend. This represents a $4.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.05%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 14th. Motorola Solutions's payout ratio is 36.39%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Motorola Solutions

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Synergy Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in Motorola Solutions in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. ORG Wealth Partners LLC boosted its holdings in Motorola Solutions by 346.2% during the first quarter. ORG Wealth Partners LLC now owns 58 shares of the communications equipment provider's stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares during the period. Crews Bank & Trust acquired a new stake in shares of Motorola Solutions in the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. First Command Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Motorola Solutions during the 4th quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, SBI Securities Co. Ltd. acquired a new position in shares of Motorola Solutions during the 4th quarter worth about $30,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.17% of the company's stock.

Motorola Solutions Company Profile

Motorola Solutions, Inc provides public safety and enterprise security solutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Products and Systems Integration, and Software and Services. The Products and Systems Integration segment offers a portfolio of infrastructure, devices, accessories, and video security devices and infrastructure, as well as the implementation and integration of systems, devices, software, and applications for government, public safety, and commercial customers who operate private communications networks and video security solutions, as well as manage a mobile workforce.