Kier Group (LON:KIE) Reaches New 12-Month High - Still a Buy?

Key Points

• Kier Group shares reached a new 52-week high, trading as high as GBX 321.16 and closing near GBX 320.20, up 2.1% from the previous close.
• Analyst sentiment remains positive: Deutsche Bank and Berenberg raised their price targets to GBX 330 and GBX 370, respectively, while all four covering analysts rate the stock a Buy.
• The company reported quarterly EPS of GBX 23.50, with an 11.95% return on equity and a 1.42% net margin; analysts expect full-year EPS of approximately GBX 20.49.

Kier Group plc (LON:KIE - Get Free Report)'s share price hit a new 52-week high during trading on Tuesday. The company traded as high as GBX 321.16 and last traded at GBX 320.20, with a volume of 707,392 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at GBX 313.60.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

KIE has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price objective on Kier Group from GBX 295 to GBX 330 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 15th. Berenberg Bank lifted their target price on Kier Group from GBX 300 to GBX 370 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 30th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating. Based on data from MarketBeat, Kier Group presently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average target price of GBX 300.

Kier Group Trading Up 2.1%

The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of GBX 282.41 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of GBX 234.88. The firm has a market capitalization of £1.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.29 and a beta of 0.89. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 360.81, a current ratio of 0.90 and a quick ratio of 0.69.

Kier Group (LON:KIE - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, September 15th. The company reported GBX 23.50 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Kier Group had a return on equity of 11.95% and a net margin of 1.42%. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Kier Group plc will post 20.49 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Kier Group Company Profile

Kier Group is a leading infrastructure services, construction and property group based in the UK. Our purpose is to sustainably deliver infrastructure which is vital to the UK with a vision is to be the UK's leading infrastructure services and construction company. We operate through three segments; Infrastructure Services, Construction and Property. Infrastructure Services comprises our Transportation and Natural Resources, Nuclear and Networks business. Transportation: builds and maintains roads for National Highways and a number of district and county councils as well as our rail, airports' infrastructure and ports' businesses. Natural Resources, Nuclear and Networks: delivers long-term contracts providing repairs, maintains and support capital projects to the water, energy, and telecommunications sectors. Construction — comprises of our Regional Building, Strategic Projects, Kier Places (Housing Maintenance and Facilities Management), and International businesses.

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