Forterra (LON:FORT) Shares Climb 0.4% - Here's Why

Key Points

• Forterra shares rose 0.4% to GBX 158 in mid-day trading, although volume was 64% below the average session level.
• Analyst sentiment remains favorable, with four Buy ratings and one Hold rating, producing a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of GBX 202.20.
• Insiders purchased 47,257 shares worth approximately £6.6 million over the past three months, while the company reported quarterly EPS of GBX 5.10 and a 5.09% net margin.

Shares of Forterra plc (LON:FORT - Get Free Report) shot up 0.4% on Monday. The stock traded as high as GBX 158.20 and last traded at GBX 158. 499,952 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 64% from the average session volume of 1,377,537 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 157.40.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Berenberg Bank reissued a "hold" rating and issued a GBX 170 target price on shares of Forterra in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a GBX 250 target price on shares of Forterra in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their price target on shares of Forterra from GBX 195 to GBX 180 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on shares of Forterra from GBX 160 to GBX 181 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, August 10th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of GBX 202.20.

Forterra Stock Performance

The company has a current ratio of 1.57, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 43.78. The business's 50 day moving average is GBX 144.56 and its 200 day moving average is GBX 144.57. The stock has a market capitalization of £315.27 million, a PE ratio of 17.36, a PEG ratio of 0.30 and a beta of 0.73.

Forterra (LON:FORT - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 28th. The company reported GBX 5.10 EPS for the quarter. Forterra had a return on equity of 7.98% and a net margin of 5.09%. On average, equities research analysts predict that Forterra plc will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, insider Gina Jardine purchased 13,313 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 22nd. The stock was acquired at an average cost of GBX 138 per share, with a total value of £18,371.94. Also, insider Aysegul Sabanci bought 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, September 28th. The stock was purchased at an average price of GBX 158 per share, with a total value of £7,900. Insiders purchased 47,257 shares of company stock worth $6,621,466 in the last three months. 0.45% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Forterra Company Profile

Forterra is a leading UK manufacturer of essential clay and concrete building products, with a unique combination of strong market positions in clay bricks, concrete blocks and precast concrete flooring. Our heritage dates back many decades and the durability, longevity and inherent sustainability of our products is evident in the construction of buildings that last for generations; wherever you are in Britain, you won't be far from a building with a Forterra product within its fabric. Our clay brick business combines our extensive secure mineral reserves with modern and efficient high-volume manufacturing processes to produce large quantities of extruded and soft mud bricks, primarily for the new build housing market.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.