Diploma (LON:DPLM) Stock Passes Above Two Hundred Day Moving Average - Here's What Happened

Diploma PLC (LON:DPLM - Get Free Report)'s stock price passed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of GBX 4,358.11 ($54.06) and traded as high as GBX 4,534 ($56.25). Diploma shares last traded at GBX 4,520 ($56.07), with a volume of 247,884 shares trading hands.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have recently commented on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a GBX 5,100 ($63.27) price target on shares of Diploma in a research note on Friday, November 22nd. Shore Capital lowered shares of Diploma to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, November 19th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Diploma from GBX 4,370 ($54.21) to GBX 4,420 ($54.83) and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, January 14th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of GBX 4,567.50 ($56.66).

Diploma Trading Down 1.9 %

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's fifty day moving average price is GBX 4,382.28 and its 200 day moving average price is GBX 4,364. The stock has a market cap of £5.95 billion, a PE ratio of 5,158.14, a PEG ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 0.75.

Diploma (LON:DPLM - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, November 19th. The company reported GBX 96.50 ($1.20) EPS for the quarter. Diploma had a net margin of 9.25% and a return on equity of 13.39%. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Diploma PLC will post 163.7995512 EPS for the current year.

Diploma Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 31st. Investors of record on Thursday, January 16th were paid a dividend of GBX 42 ($0.52) per share. This represents a yield of 0.93%. This is an increase from Diploma's previous dividend of $17.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 16th. Diploma's payout ratio is 6,627.91%.

Insider Transactions at Diploma

In other Diploma news, insider Jennifer Ward purchased 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 16th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of GBX 4,250 ($52.72) per share, with a total value of £42,500 ($52,722.99). Also, insider Chris Davies purchased 3,917 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 20th. The shares were acquired at an average price of GBX 4,280 ($53.10) per share, with a total value of £167,647.60 ($207,973.70). Company insiders own 0.52% of the company's stock.

Diploma Company Profile

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.