ESCO Technologies Inc. (NYSE:ESE) Stock Holdings Boosted by Northern Trust Corp

Northern Trust Corp lifted its stake in shares of ESCO Technologies Inc. (NYSE:ESE - Free Report) by 7.0% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 297,264 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock after acquiring an additional 19,465 shares during the period. Northern Trust Corp owned 1.15% of ESCO Technologies worth $39,599,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Mather Group LLC. acquired a new stake in ESCO Technologies during the fourth quarter worth approximately $30,000. Jones Financial Companies Lllp boosted its holdings in shares of ESCO Technologies by 747.1% during the fourth quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 288 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 254 shares during the last quarter. Huntington National Bank grew its position in shares of ESCO Technologies by 150.0% in the fourth quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 305 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock valued at $41,000 after purchasing an additional 183 shares during the period. Sterling Capital Management LLC increased its stake in ESCO Technologies by 627.1% in the fourth quarter. Sterling Capital Management LLC now owns 429 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock valued at $57,000 after purchasing an additional 370 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its position in ESCO Technologies by 378.8% during the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 565 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $75,000 after buying an additional 447 shares during the period. 95.70% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

ESCO Technologies Trading Up 3.3%

NYSE ESE traded up $5.94 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $185.51. The company's stock had a trading volume of 168,095 shares, compared to its average volume of 130,943. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a current ratio of 2.04 and a quick ratio of 1.35. ESCO Technologies Inc. has a 52-week low of $101.42 and a 52-week high of $185.75. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $157.02 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $147.65. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 43.55 and a beta of 1.19.

ESCO Technologies (NYSE:ESE - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 7th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.35 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.25 by $0.10. ESCO Technologies had a return on equity of 9.91% and a net margin of 10.44%. The company had revenue of $265.52 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $264.96 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.09 earnings per share. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts expect that ESCO Technologies Inc. will post 5.65 EPS for the current year.

ESCO Technologies Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 17th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, July 2nd will be paid a $0.08 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, July 2nd. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.17%. ESCO Technologies's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 7.02%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have commented on ESE. Benchmark lifted their price target on ESCO Technologies from $190.00 to $200.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday. StockNews.com downgraded shares of ESCO Technologies from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, March 21st. Finally, Stephens reaffirmed an "overweight" rating and set a $175.00 price target on shares of ESCO Technologies in a research note on Thursday, February 27th.

ESCO Technologies Company Profile

ESCO Technologies Inc produces and supplies engineered products and systems for industrial and commercial markets worldwide. It operates through three segments: Aerospace & Defense, Utility Solutions Group, and RF Test & Measurement. The Aerospace & Defense segment designs and manufactures filtration products, including hydraulic filter elements and fluid control devices used in commercial aerospace applications; filter mechanisms used in micro-propulsion devices for satellites; and custom designed filters for manned aircraft and submarines.