Viasat (NASDAQ:VSAT) Trading 4.8% Higher - Still a Buy?

Key Points

• Viasat shares rose 4.8% to about $75.82, although trading volume was roughly 91% below the average session volume.
• Analyst sentiment remains broadly positive: Viasat has a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $90.67, despite ratings ranging from Strong Buy to Sell.
• Insiders have been net sellers, selling 244,291 shares worth approximately $19.5 million over the past quarter, while institutional investors own 86.05% of the stock.

Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ:VSAT - Get Free Report) shares shot up 4.8% during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $75.25 and last traded at $75.8160. Approximately 189,006 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 91% from the average session volume of 2,065,405 shares. The stock had previously closed at $72.36.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. Zacks Research raised Viasat from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Barclays set a $49.00 price objective on Viasat in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $97.00 price objective on shares of Viasat in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Wall Street Zen downgraded Viasat from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research note on Saturday, August 8th. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $95.00 target price on shares of Viasat in a report on Monday, August 10th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $90.67.

Viasat Stock Up 2.7%

The company has a current ratio of 1.68, a quick ratio of 1.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.23. The company has a market capitalization of $10.24 billion, a P/E ratio of -309.23 and a beta of 1.70. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $75.60 and a 200 day moving average price of $65.84.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Theresa Wise sold 2,500 shares of Viasat stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $84.69, for a total transaction of $211,725.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 11,000 shares in the company, valued at $931,590. This trade represents a 18.52% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, SVP Benjamin Palmer sold 2,400 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $75.46, for a total transaction of $181,104.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 21,159 shares in the company, valued at $1,596,658.14. The trade was a 10.19% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 244,291 shares of company stock worth $19,526,868 over the last quarter. 1.40% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of VSAT. Versant Capital Management Inc increased its stake in shares of Viasat by 4.4% in the second quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 4,940 shares of the communications equipment provider's stock valued at $444,000 after buying an additional 207 shares during the period. Cetera Investment Advisers boosted its holdings in Viasat by 2.6% in the first quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 8,605 shares of the communications equipment provider's stock valued at $394,000 after acquiring an additional 217 shares during the last quarter. Arizona State Retirement System boosted its holdings in Viasat by 0.9% in the second quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 31,858 shares of the communications equipment provider's stock valued at $2,861,000 after acquiring an additional 278 shares during the last quarter. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC increased its position in Viasat by 935.3% during the 2nd quarter. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC now owns 352 shares of the communications equipment provider's stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 318 shares during the period. Finally, Aberdeen Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Viasat during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $30,000. 86.05% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Viasat Company Profile

Viasat, Inc NASDAQ: VSAT provides high‐capacity satellite broadband and wireless communications services to consumer, commercial and government customers worldwide. The company designs and operates satellite systems and network infrastructure to deliver secure, high-speed connectivity across remote and underserved regions, as well as managed networking solutions for enterprises and public sector agencies.

Viasat's product offerings include residential and enterprise satellite internet services, in-flight connectivity for commercial airlines and business jets, and secure networking platforms tailored to defense and intelligence users.

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