Steel Partners (NYSE:SPLP) Sees Large Volume Increase - Time to Buy?

Steel Partners Holdings L.P. (NYSE:SPLP - Get Free Report) shares saw unusually-high trading volume on Friday . Approximately 4,403 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 26% from the previous session's volume of 3,493 shares.The stock last traded at $40.00 and had previously closed at $39.51.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, Wall Street Zen started coverage on Steel Partners in a report on Monday, May 19th. They issued a "strong-buy" rating on the stock.

Steel Partners Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11, a quick ratio of 1.16 and a current ratio of 1.27. The firm's 50-day moving average price is $37.63 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $40.22. The stock has a market cap of $760.29 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4.07 and a beta of 1.21.

Steel Partners (NYSE:SPLP - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, March 11th. The conglomerate reported $3.40 EPS for the quarter. Steel Partners had a net margin of 11.43% and a return on equity of 21.72%. The company had revenue of $497.92 million for the quarter.

Steel Partners Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, June 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 2nd will be given a $0.375 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 30th. This represents a yield of 3.84%. Steel Partners's dividend payout ratio is currently 3.32%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Steel Partners

In other Steel Partners news, President Jack L. Howard sold 25,500 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.20, for a total value of $617,100.00. Following the sale, the president now owns 62,149 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,504,005.80. The trade was a 29.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 84.80% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. HighTower Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Steel Partners by 2.2% during the 4th quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 26,997 shares of the conglomerate's stock worth $1,149,000 after acquiring an additional 577 shares in the last quarter. Teton Advisors Inc. increased its stake in Steel Partners by 4.0% during the fourth quarter. Teton Advisors Inc. now owns 13,000 shares of the conglomerate's stock worth $553,000 after purchasing an additional 500 shares during the period. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL lifted its position in shares of Steel Partners by 3.5% during the fourth quarter. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL now owns 96,864 shares of the conglomerate's stock worth $4,123,000 after purchasing an additional 3,300 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Axxcess Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Steel Partners during the first quarter worth about $330,000. 50.75% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Steel Partners Company Profile

Steel Partners Holdings L.P., together with its subsidiaries, engages in industrial products, energy, banking, defense, supply chain management, logistics, and youth sports businesses worldwide. It operates through Diversified Industrial, Energy, Financial Services, and Supply Chain segments. The company fabricates precious metals and alloys into brazing alloys; manufactures and sells seamless stainless steel tubing coils; fasteners, adhesives, and fastening systems for the commercial low slope roofing industry, as well as specialty fasteners for the building products industry; and woven substrates of fiberglass, quartz, carbon, and aramid materials for specialty applications.