Rockhopper Exploration (LON:RKH) Trading Up 8.4% - Should You Buy?

Key Points

• Rockhopper Exploration's stock surged by 8.4%, trading at GBX 77.60 ($1.03) after a prior close of GBX 71.60 ($0.95), indicating heightened investor interest with a trading volume increase of 428%.
• Analysts from Canaccord Genuity have raised their price target for Rockhopper from GBX 49 ($0.65) to GBX 86 ($1.14) while assigning a "speculative buy" rating.
• Despite the positive outlook, the company reported a quarterly earnings per share (EPS) of GBX 7.20 ($0.10), with projections indicating a potential EPS of -0.19 for the current fiscal year.

Rockhopper Exploration plc (LON:RKH - Get Free Report) rose 8.4% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as GBX 79.80 ($1.06) and last traded at GBX 77.60 ($1.03). Approximately 17,843,082 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 428% from the average daily volume of 3,382,039 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 71.60 ($0.95).

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, Canaccord Genuity Group increased their target price on shares of Rockhopper Exploration from GBX 49 ($0.65) to GBX 86 ($1.14) and gave the stock a "speculative buy" rating in a report on Monday, June 9th.

Rockhopper Exploration Stock Performance

The company has a quick ratio of 2.94, a current ratio of 1.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12. The stock's fifty day moving average is GBX 55.83 and its two-hundred day moving average is GBX 46.89. The firm has a market capitalization of £600.09 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38,102.01, a P/E/G ratio of 0.20 and a beta of 0.87.

Rockhopper Exploration (LON:RKH - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 29th. The company reported GBX 7.20 ($0.10) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. On average, analysts predict that Rockhopper Exploration plc will post -0.1899958 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Rockhopper Exploration

In other news, insider Alison Baker sold 50,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 47 ($0.62), for a total transaction of £23,500 ($31,204.36). 19.22% of the stock is owned by insiders.

About Rockhopper Exploration

Rockhopper Exploration plc operates as an oil and gas exploration and production company primarily in the United Kingdom. It engages in the exploration, appraisal, and exploitation of its oil and gas acreage primarily in the North Falkland Basin and the Greater Mediterranean region. The company holds 35% working interest in the PL003a, PL003b, PL004a, PL004b, PL004c, PL005, PL032, PL033 production licenses in North Falkland Basin.