Sensata Technologies (NYSE:ST) Shares Gap Up on Earnings Beat

Sensata Technologies Holding plc (NYSE:ST - Get Free Report) gapped up prior to trading on Tuesday following a better than expected earnings announcement. The stock had previously closed at $35.76, but opened at $42.82. Sensata Technologies shares last traded at $39.99, with a volume of 3,391,847 shares traded.

The scientific and technical instruments company reported $0.89 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.86 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $1.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $986.51 million. Sensata Technologies had a positive return on equity of 17.47% and a negative net margin of 0.10%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up .9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.92 earnings per share.

Sensata Technologies Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 22nd. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, May 8th will be paid a $0.12 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, May 7th. This represents a $0.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.25%. Sensata Technologies's payout ratio is presently -959.81%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have commented on ST shares. Evercore ISI upped their target price on shares of Sensata Technologies from $36.00 to $44.00 and gave the company an "in-line" rating in a research report on Tuesday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut Sensata Technologies from a "neutral" rating to an "underweight" rating and reduced their target price for the stock from $37.00 to $34.00 in a report on Monday, January 8th. Robert W. Baird upped their price target on Sensata Technologies from $37.00 to $47.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Tuesday. Bank of America downgraded shares of Sensata Technologies from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating and cut their price target for the company from $46.00 to $38.00 in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group restated a "neutral" rating and set a $36.00 price objective (down previously from $44.00) on shares of Sensata Technologies in a report on Tuesday, April 9th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $42.00.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Sensata Technologies

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Principal Financial Group Inc. raised its position in Sensata Technologies by 2.6% in the 1st quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 569,859 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock valued at $20,937,000 after buying an additional 14,205 shares during the last quarter. New York State Teachers Retirement System raised its holdings in shares of Sensata Technologies by 16.2% in the first quarter. New York State Teachers Retirement System now owns 26,839 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock valued at $986,000 after purchasing an additional 3,739 shares during the last quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System lifted its position in shares of Sensata Technologies by 2.6% in the first quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 43,600 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $1,602,000 after purchasing an additional 1,100 shares in the last quarter. Amalgamated Bank lifted its position in shares of Sensata Technologies by 0.3% in the first quarter. Amalgamated Bank now owns 94,351 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $3,466,000 after purchasing an additional 310 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wesbanco Bank Inc. acquired a new position in Sensata Technologies during the first quarter worth $285,000. 99.42% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Sensata Technologies Trading Up 7.0 %

The business's 50-day moving average is $35.19 and its two-hundred day moving average is $34.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13, a current ratio of 2.55 and a quick ratio of 1.69. The firm has a market cap of $5.76 billion, a P/E ratio of -765.45, a P/E/G ratio of 0.85 and a beta of 1.37.

Sensata Technologies Company Profile

Sensata Technologies Holding plc develops, manufactures, and sells sensors and sensor-rich solutions, electrical protection components and systems, and other products used in mission-critical systems and applications in the United States and internationally. It operates in two segments, Performance Sensing and Sensing Solutions.