Bristow Group (NYSE:VTOL) Trading 4.1% Higher - Should You Buy?

Key Points

• Bristow Group shares rose 4.1% to about $45.50, though trading volume was 91% below the average session volume.
• Analyst sentiment remains generally positive, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $60.00; recent ratings included upgrades to Hold and a reaffirmed Buy.
• The company reported quarterly EPS of $0.70, below the $0.89 consensus, but revenue of $411.75 million exceeded expectations. Bristow also pays a $0.125 quarterly dividend, while insiders have recently sold shares.

Bristow Group Inc. (NYSE:VTOL - Get Free Report)'s share price rose 4.1% during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $45.80 and last traded at $45.5030. 20,282 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 91% from the average session volume of 220,122 shares. The stock had previously closed at $43.73.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

VTOL has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Zacks Research raised shares of Bristow Group from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 7th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "buy (b)" rating on shares of Bristow Group in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut Bristow Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, May 9th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Bristow Group has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $60.00.

Bristow Group Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 1.85 and a current ratio of 2.26. The business's fifty day simple moving average is $44.38 and its 200 day simple moving average is $44.85. The stock has a market cap of $1.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.07 and a beta of 1.22.

Bristow Group (NYSE:VTOL - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The company reported $0.70 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.89 by ($0.19). Bristow Group had a net margin of 6.66% and a return on equity of 9.82%. The business had revenue of $411.75 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $407.28 million. Research analysts predict that Bristow Group Inc. will post 3.31 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Bristow Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 28th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 14th were issued a dividend of $0.125 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 14th. This represents a $0.50 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.1%. Bristow Group's dividend payout ratio is 14.41%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, COO Stuart Stavley sold 10,218 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $46.20, for a total value of $472,071.60. Following the sale, the chief operating officer directly owned 64,740 shares in the company, valued at $2,990,988. This trade represents a 13.63% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Lorin L. Brass sold 1,890 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $46.56, for a total transaction of $87,998.40. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 18,873 shares of the company's stock, valued at $878,726.88. The trade was a 9.10% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 13,148 shares of company stock valued at $608,365. 12.80% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Bristow Group

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Bristow Group during the 2nd quarter valued at $25,000. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio acquired a new stake in shares of Bristow Group during the second quarter worth $27,000. Nykredit A S acquired a new stake in shares of Bristow Group during the second quarter worth $27,000. Clearstead Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Bristow Group by 1,450.7% during the fourth quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 1,070 shares of the company's stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 1,001 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Parkside Financial Bank & Trust boosted its position in shares of Bristow Group by 1,645.3% in the 4th quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 1,117 shares of the company's stock valued at $41,000 after purchasing an additional 1,053 shares during the period. 93.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Bristow Group

Bristow Group Inc is a global provider of helicopter services to the offshore energy industry and search-and-rescue (SAR) operations worldwide. The company specializes in the safe and efficient transport of personnel, equipment and supplies to offshore oil and gas platforms, as well as emergency response and medevac services. Bristow's operations support exploration, production and decommissioning activities, helping energy companies maintain continuity of production in some of the world's most challenging environments.

The company maintains a diverse fleet of turbine-powered helicopters, including medium- and heavy-lift aircraft such as the Sikorsky S-92, Airbus H225 (formerly EC225) and Leonardo AW189.

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