Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE:RGR) Sets New 1-Year High After Earnings Beat

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE:RGR)’s stock price hit a new 52-week high on Thursday following a stronger than expected earnings report. The stock traded as high as $51.00 and last traded at $50.1140, with a volume of 50,823 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $49.91.

The company reported $0.44 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.37 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $147.63 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $131.03 million. Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. had a net margin of 2.11% and a return on equity of 6.58%. The business’s revenue was up 16.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.10 earnings per share.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 4th. Investors of record on Friday, November 20th will be issued a $0.18 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, November 20th. This represents a $0.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.4%. This is a drop from Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.21. Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 112.00%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

RGR has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. in a research note on Friday, October 30th. Wall Street Zen raised Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, August 1st. Finally, Zacks Research raised Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, October 5th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $46.00.

Insider Buying and Selling at Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.

In related news, VP Michael Wilson sold 628 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, October 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $45.47, for a total transaction of $28,555.16. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 1,828 shares of company stock worth $77,725 over the last 90 days. 4.60% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Group One Trading LLC purchased a new stake in Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. in the 1st quarter valued at about $33,000. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio purchased a new position in shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $39,000. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its stake in shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. by 32.5% in the 3rd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,401 shares of the company’s stock worth $60,000 after buying an additional 344 shares during the last quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC purchased a new position in shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $117,000. Finally, Parallel Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. by 630.0% in the third quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 3,672 shares of the company’s stock valued at $156,000 after acquiring an additional 3,169 shares in the last quarter. 64.00% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. Price Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $796.92 million, a P/E ratio of 66.49 and a beta of 0.11. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $42.27 and a 200-day moving average price of $39.81.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. Company Profile

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc designs, manufactures, and sells firearms for the commercial sporting market. Its product portfolio includes pistols, revolvers, rifles, and related accessories marketed under the Ruger brand. The company serves customers through independent distributors, retailers, and other firearms dealers.

Founded in 1949 by William B. Ruger and Alexander M. Sturm, the company is one of the largest firearms manufacturers in the United States. Its products are manufactured in the U.S.