Diploma (LON:DPLM) Stock Price Crosses Above 200-Day Moving Average - Here's Why

Shares of Diploma PLC (LON:DPLM - Get Free Report) passed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Friday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of GBX 4,348.66 ($54.30) and traded as high as GBX 4,530 ($56.56). Diploma shares last traded at GBX 4,477.85 ($55.91), with a volume of 199,145 shares.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on DPLM shares. Shore Capital downgraded Diploma to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of Diploma from GBX 4,370 ($54.56) to GBX 4,420 ($55.19) and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 14th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a "buy" rating and set a GBX 5,100 ($63.68) price target on shares of Diploma in a research note on Friday, November 22nd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of GBX 4,567.50 ($57.03).

Diploma Stock Down 0.4 %

The company has a market cap of £6.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 5,206.80, a P/E/G ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a current ratio of 2.27, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 45.69. The business has a fifty day moving average price of GBX 4,362.58 and a two-hundred day moving average price of GBX 4,348.66.

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

Diploma Increases Dividend

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

Insider Activity at Diploma

In other news, insider Jennifer Ward bought 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 16th. The stock was acquired at an average price of GBX 4,250 ($53.07) per share, with a total value of £42,500 ($53,065.30). Also, insider Chris Davies acquired 3,917 shares of Diploma stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 20th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of GBX 4,280 ($53.44) per share, for a total transaction of £167,647.60 ($209,324.01). 0.52% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

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.