Halma (LON:HLMA) Trading 12.4% Higher – What’s Next?

Halma plc (LON:HLMA)’s stock price shot up 12.4% on Thursday . The stock traded as high as GBX 3,744.90 and last traded at GBX 3,721.60. 21,416,410 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 969% from the average session volume of 2,003,813 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 3,312.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

HLMA has been the topic of several analyst reports. Berenberg Bank increased their price target on Halma from GBX 3,250 to GBX 3,750 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 10th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their target price on Halma from GBX 3,290 to GBX 3,690 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, October 3rd. Shore Capital reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Halma in a research note on Friday, September 26th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group started coverage on shares of Halma in a research report on Thursday, August 7th. They set a “buy” rating and a GBX 3,740 price objective for the company. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of GBX 3,396.

Halma Stock Performance

The firm has a fifty day moving average of GBX 3,446.72 and a 200 day moving average of GBX 3,244.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 45.83, a current ratio of 2.45 and a quick ratio of 1.51. The stock has a market cap of £14.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.73, a PEG ratio of 2.93 and a beta of 0.53.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Jennifer Ward sold 15,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, September 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 3,381, for a total value of £507,150. 0.81% of the stock is owned by insiders.

About Halma

Halma is a global group of life-saving technology companies, focused on growing a safer, cleaner, healthier future for everyone, every day. Its purpose defines the three broad markets it operates in:

– Safety – Protecting people’s safety and the environment as populations grow, and enhancing worker safety.
– Environment – Addressing the impacts of climate change, pollution and waste, protecting life-critical resources and supporting scientific research.
– Health – Meeting the increasing demand for better healthcare as chronic illness rises, driven by growing and ageing populations and lifestyle changes.

Halma employs over 9,000 people in more than 20 countries, with major operations in the UK, Mainland Europe, the USA and Asia Pacific.