Avantor (NYSE:AVTR) Price Target Lowered to $26.00 at Stifel Nicolaus

Avantor (NYSE:AVTR - Free Report) had its price target reduced by Stifel Nicolaus from $28.00 to $26.00 in a research report sent to investors on Monday,Benzinga reports. They currently have a buy rating on the stock.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Barclays cut their price objective on shares of Avantor from $26.00 to $23.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Monday. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on shares of Avantor from $30.00 to $28.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, October 28th. Robert W. Baird cut their price objective on shares of Avantor from $27.00 to $26.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, October 28th. Raymond James cut their price objective on shares of Avantor from $29.00 to $26.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, January 21st. Finally, UBS Group reissued a "neutral" rating and issued a $25.00 price objective (down previously from $29.00) on shares of Avantor in a research report on Friday, January 17th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $26.15.

Avantor Price Performance

AVTR traded up $0.07 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $18.12. 6,265,783 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,451,938. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 1.54 and a quick ratio of 1.06. The stock has a market capitalization of $12.33 billion, a PE ratio of 39.38, a P/E/G ratio of 3.87 and a beta of 1.28. The business's 50-day moving average price is $21.57 and its 200 day moving average price is $23.35. Avantor has a 1-year low of $17.90 and a 1-year high of $28.00.

Avantor (NYSE:AVTR - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The company reported $0.27 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.26 by $0.01. Avantor had a net margin of 4.54% and a return on equity of 12.24%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.22 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Avantor will post 0.98 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Avantor

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co grew its stake in Avantor by 5.8% during the fourth quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co now owns 1,012,692 shares of the company's stock worth $21,338,000 after buying an additional 55,481 shares during the period. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board grew its stake in Avantor by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 21,037,089 shares of the company's stock worth $443,251,000 after buying an additional 112,644 shares during the period. Marshall Wace LLP purchased a new stake in Avantor during the fourth quarter worth approximately $203,000. Dodge & Cox grew its stake in Avantor by 44.9% during the fourth quarter. Dodge & Cox now owns 99,145,770 shares of the company's stock worth $2,089,001,000 after buying an additional 30,727,673 shares during the period. Finally, Broyhill Asset Management purchased a new stake in Avantor during the fourth quarter worth approximately $4,536,000. 95.08% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Avantor

Avantor, Inc engages in the provision of mission-critical products and services to customers in the biopharma, healthcare, education and government, advanced technologies, and applied materials industries in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. The company offers materials and consumables, such as purity chemicals and reagents, lab products and supplies, formulated silicone materials, customized excipients, customized single-use assemblies, process chromatography resins and columns, analytical sample prep kits, education and microbiology products, clinical trial kits, peristaltic pumps, and fluid handling tips.