GSK (NYSE:GSK) Sets New 52-Week Low - Here's Why

Shares of GSK plc (NYSE:GSK - Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week low during trading on Monday . The stock traded as low as $32.66 and last traded at $32.66, with a volume of 27544 shares. The stock had previously closed at $33.09.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms recently issued reports on GSK. StockNews.com raised GSK from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Monday. Jefferies Financial Group downgraded shares of GSK from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and dropped their target price for the stock from $53.00 to $39.50 in a research note on Tuesday, November 12th. Guggenheim lowered shares of GSK from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research report on Thursday, October 31st. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered shares of GSK from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, November 15th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $43.25.

GSK Stock Performance

The firm's 50-day moving average price is $34.30 and its 200 day moving average price is $38.12. The company has a market cap of $67.79 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.24, a PEG ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.63. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.98, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 0.81.

GSK Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 9th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 15th were given a dividend of $0.3928 per share. This is a boost from GSK's previous quarterly dividend of $0.38. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 15th. This represents a $1.57 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.80%. GSK's payout ratio is presently 95.45%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in GSK. Eastern Bank acquired a new position in GSK in the third quarter valued at about $26,000. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. raised its position in shares of GSK by 195.5% in the 4th quarter. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. now owns 789 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 522 shares during the period. Sunbelt Securities Inc. raised its position in shares of GSK by 73.8% in the 3rd quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. now owns 711 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 302 shares during the period. Concord Wealth Partners boosted its stake in GSK by 231.8% during the 3rd quarter. Concord Wealth Partners now owns 783 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 547 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ashton Thomas Private Wealth LLC acquired a new position in GSK during the second quarter valued at approximately $37,000. 15.74% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About GSK

GSK plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the research, development, and manufacture of vaccines, and specialty and general medicines to prevent and treat disease in the United Kingdom, the United States, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Commercial Operations and Total R&D.