Brokerages Set GSK plc (NYSE:GSK) Price Target at $43.25

GSK plc (NYSE:GSK - Get Free Report) has received a consensus recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from the ten analysts that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and three have issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average 12-month price objective among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $43.25.

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. StockNews.com lowered shares of GSK from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Sunday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut GSK from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, November 15th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered 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 report on Tuesday, November 12th. Finally, Guggenheim lowered GSK from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating in a report on Thursday, October 31st.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On GSK

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in GSK. FMR LLC lifted its stake in shares of GSK by 8.3% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 29,008,928 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock worth $1,185,885,000 after buying an additional 2,224,345 shares during the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC lifted its position in GSK by 4.9% during the 3rd quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 18,576,930 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock worth $759,425,000 after acquiring an additional 870,449 shares during the last quarter. Clifford Capital Partners LLC boosted its holdings in GSK by 14.3% during the third quarter. Clifford Capital Partners LLC now owns 409,669 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock valued at $16,747,000 after acquiring an additional 51,378 shares during the period. Cerity Partners LLC grew its position in shares of GSK by 61.8% in the third quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 433,628 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock valued at $17,728,000 after purchasing an additional 165,556 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Natixis Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of GSK by 20.0% in the third quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC now owns 500,495 shares of the pharmaceutical company's stock worth $20,460,000 after purchasing an additional 83,433 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 15.74% of the company's stock.

GSK Stock Up 0.4 %

Shares of GSK traded up $0.15 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $34.11. The company's stock had a trading volume of 3,030,903 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,816,574. The company has a 50 day moving average of $34.67 and a two-hundred day moving average of $38.35. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.98. The firm has a market cap of $70.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.15, a P/E/G ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.63. GSK has a 1-year low of $32.83 and a 1-year high of $45.92.

GSK Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 9th. Investors of record on Friday, November 15th will be paid a $0.3928 dividend. This represents a $1.57 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.61%. This is an increase from GSK's previous quarterly dividend of $0.38. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, November 15th. GSK's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 98.70%.

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.