AZZ (NYSE:AZZ) Sees Unusually-High Trading Volume - Here's Why

AZZ Inc. (NYSE:AZZ - Get Free Report) saw an uptick in trading volume on Tuesday . 563,928 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 160% from the previous session's volume of 216,537 shares.The stock last traded at $96.36 and had previously closed at $96.15.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms recently issued reports on AZZ. Roth Capital raised AZZ to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 11th. B. Riley raised their price target on AZZ from $99.00 to $111.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 11th. Roth Mkm began coverage on AZZ in a report on Tuesday, February 11th. They set a "buy" rating and a $108.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group raised their price target on AZZ from $105.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, December 6th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $100.67.

AZZ Price Performance

The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $89.19 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $85.10. The company has a market cap of $2.88 billion, a PE ratio of 65.04, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.32 and a beta of 1.30. The company has a current ratio of 1.77, a quick ratio of 1.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.85.

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AZZ (NYSE:AZZ - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 7th. The industrial products company reported $1.39 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.29 by $0.10. AZZ had a return on equity of 16.99% and a net margin of 7.94%. The company had revenue of $403.65 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $394.30 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $1.19 EPS. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts predict that AZZ Inc. will post 5.13 EPS for the current fiscal year.

AZZ Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 20th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, January 30th were paid a dividend of $0.17 per share. This represents a $0.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.71%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 30th. AZZ's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 45.95%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On AZZ

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Pullen Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of AZZ by 45.8% during the 4th quarter. Pullen Investment Management LLC now owns 19,126 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $1,567,000 after acquiring an additional 6,007 shares in the last quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio purchased a new stake in shares of AZZ during the 4th quarter worth approximately $2,514,000. PharVision Advisers LLC purchased a new stake in shares of AZZ during the 4th quarter worth approximately $297,000. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC boosted its stake in shares of AZZ by 16.0% during the 4th quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 69,111 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $5,662,000 after acquiring an additional 9,531 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sovereign s Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of AZZ during the 4th quarter worth approximately $897,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.93% of the company's stock.

AZZ Company Profile

AZZ Inc provides hot-dip galvanizing and coil coating solutions in North America. It offers metal finishing solutions for corrosion protection, including hot-dip galvanizing, spin galvanizing, powder coating, anodizing, and plating to steel fabrication and other industries, as well as to fabricators or manufacturers that provide services to the transmission and distribution, bridge and highway, petrochemical, and general industrial markets; and original equipment manufacturers.