Diploma PLC (LON:DPLM) Insider Jennifer Ward Buys 1,000 Shares

Diploma PLC (LON:DPLM) insider Jennifer Ward purchased 1,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 16th. The stock was acquired at an average price of GBX 4,250 ($52.00) per share, for a total transaction of £42,500 ($52,000.49).

Diploma Price Performance

Shares of DPLM traded up GBX 80 ($0.98) during trading hours on Friday, reaching GBX 4,376 ($53.54). 4,634,758 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,608,677. The stock has a market capitalization of £5.87 billion, a PE ratio of 5,088.37, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 2.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 45.69. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of GBX 4,370.85 and a 200 day simple moving average of GBX 4,335.24. Diploma PLC has a fifty-two week low of GBX 3,200 ($39.15) and a fifty-two week high of GBX 4,653 ($56.93).

Diploma Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 31st. Investors of record on Thursday, January 16th will be given a dividend of GBX 42 ($0.51) per share. This represents a yield of 0.93%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 16th. This is an increase from Diploma’s previous dividend of $17.30. Diploma’s dividend payout ratio is 6,627.91%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

DPLM has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on shares of Diploma from GBX 4,370 ($53.47) to GBX 4,420 ($54.08) and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a “buy” rating and set a GBX 5,100 ($62.40) price target on shares of Diploma in a research note on Friday, November 22nd. Finally, Shore Capital lowered Diploma to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 19th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of GBX 4,567.50 ($55.89).

About Diploma

Diploma PLC, together with its subsidiaries, supplies specialized technical products and services in the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, North America, and internationally. It operates through three business sectors: Life Sciences, Seals, and Controls. The Life Sciences sector supplies technology-enabled products used in surgical procedures in operating theatres and endoscopy; testing equipment and services for clinical laboratories; and bio-pharma, food safety and testing, and other research-oriented products.