Edgestream Partners L.P. Purchases New Position in ESCO Technologies Inc. (NYSE:ESE)

Edgestream Partners L.P. acquired a new position in shares of ESCO Technologies Inc. (NYSE:ESE - Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm acquired 8,785 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock, valued at approximately $1,170,000.

Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Victory Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in ESCO Technologies by 9.1% during the 3rd quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 70,387 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $9,079,000 after purchasing an additional 5,874 shares during the last quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC grew its holdings in ESCO Technologies by 14.4% in the 3rd quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC now owns 17,275 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock valued at $2,228,000 after buying an additional 2,168 shares in the last quarter. Lindenwold Advisors INC acquired a new stake in shares of ESCO Technologies during the third quarter worth $226,000. Premier Fund Managers Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of ESCO Technologies during the third quarter worth $942,000. Finally, Advisors Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of ESCO Technologies in the third quarter valued at about $326,000. 95.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

ESCO Technologies Stock Up 1.3 %

ESE stock opened at $158.36 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $4.09 billion, a PE ratio of 37.17 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a quick ratio of 1.35, a current ratio of 2.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. ESCO Technologies Inc. has a 52 week low of $97.11 and a 52 week high of $171.28. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $146.23 and a 200 day simple moving average of $136.81.

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ESCO Technologies (NYSE:ESE - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 6th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.07 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.73 by $0.34. ESCO Technologies had a net margin of 10.44% and a return on equity of 9.91%. Sell-side analysts anticipate that ESCO Technologies Inc. will post 5.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.

ESCO Technologies Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 17th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, April 2nd will be issued a $0.08 dividend. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.20%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 2nd. ESCO Technologies's dividend payout ratio is presently 7.51%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have weighed in on ESE. Stephens reiterated an "overweight" rating and issued a $175.00 price objective on shares of ESCO Technologies in a research note on Thursday, February 27th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of ESCO Technologies from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, March 3rd. Finally, Benchmark increased their price target on ESCO Technologies from $150.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 11th.

ESCO Technologies Company Profile

ESCO Technologies Inc produces and supplies engineered products and systems for industrial and commercial markets worldwide. It operates through three segments: Aerospace & Defense, Utility Solutions Group, and RF Test & Measurement. The Aerospace & Defense segment designs and manufactures filtration products, including hydraulic filter elements and fluid control devices used in commercial aerospace applications; filter mechanisms used in micro-propulsion devices for satellites; and custom designed filters for manned aircraft and submarines.

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