Babcock (NYSE:BW) Hits New 12-Month High – Should You Buy?

Babcock (NYSE:BW) shares reached a new 52-week high on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $18.66 and last traded at $18.2610, with a volume of 124731 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $18.24.

Analyst Ratings Changes

BW has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Babcock in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Northland Securities initiated coverage on shares of Babcock in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $10.00 target price on the stock. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Babcock to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Babcock from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, March 21st. Finally, Craig Hallum reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $19.00 target price on shares of Babcock in a research note on Tuesday, March 17th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $11.00.

Babcock Stock Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $2.46 billion, a PE ratio of -33.53 and a beta of 1.09. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $12.48 and its 200 day moving average is $8.12.

Babcock (NYSE:BW) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 4th. The technology company reported ($0.05) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.04) by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $161.00 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $179.10 million.

Insider Activity at Babcock

In other Babcock news, major shareholder Brc Group Holdings, Inc. sold 1,155,382 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $9.00, for a total value of $10,398,438.00. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Kenneth M. Young bought 7,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 18th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $15.14 per share, for a total transaction of $105,980.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer directly owned 1,656,512 shares in the company, valued at approximately $25,079,591.68. This represents a 0.42% increase in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. Corporate insiders own 3.90% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Babcock

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Huntington National Bank lifted its stake in Babcock by 400,000.0% in the 4th quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 4,001 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 4,000 shares in the last quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. purchased a new stake in Babcock in the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Centiva Capital LP purchased a new stake in Babcock in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $31,000. Raymond James Financial Inc. lifted its stake in Babcock by 11,311.3% in the 3rd quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. now owns 12,096 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 11,990 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sender Co & Partners Inc. purchased a new stake in Babcock in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $50,000. 83.17% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Babcock Company Profile

Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc (NYSE: BW) is a specialized provider of energy and environmental technologies and services serving power generation and heavy industrial markets. The company designs, manufactures and maintains critical components and systems that support the safe and efficient operation of both fossil-fuel and renewable power facilities. Its core offerings include industrial and utility boilers, environmental control systems for emissions reduction, and aftermarket support services ranging from inspection and maintenance to spare parts management.

In addition to its boiler and emissions control portfolio, Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises delivers lifecycle solutions aimed at enhancing plant performance and compliance.