Leidos (NYSE:LDOS) Cut to Buy at StockNews.com

Leidos (NYSE:LDOS - Get Free Report) was downgraded by equities researchers at StockNews.com from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday.

Several other research analysts have also recently commented on the company. UBS Group reduced their target price on Leidos from $162.00 to $156.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday. Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Leidos from $194.00 to $220.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on Leidos from $199.00 to $197.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday. Robert W. Baird increased their price target on Leidos from $180.00 to $218.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. Finally, Truist Financial decreased their price objective on shares of Leidos from $185.00 to $165.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $176.27.

Leidos Trading Up 1.2 %

Leidos stock traded up $1.57 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $132.22. The stock had a trading volume of 1,752,327 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,277,481. Leidos has a twelve month low of $120.98 and a twelve month high of $202.90. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 1.23 and a quick ratio of 1.15. The firm has a market cap of $17.64 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.06, a PEG ratio of 0.92 and a beta of 0.66. The firm's fifty day simple moving average is $146.93 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $157.23.

Leidos (NYSE:LDOS - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 11th. The aerospace company reported $2.37 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.24 by $0.13. Leidos had a net margin of 7.37% and a return on equity of 30.31%. Equities analysts anticipate that Leidos will post 10.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Robert C. Kovarik, Jr. sold 1,511 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $134.56, for a total value of $203,320.16. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 6,408 shares in the company, valued at approximately $862,260.48. The trade was a 19.08 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Noel B. Geer acquired 2,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 20th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $161.13 per share, for a total transaction of $322,260.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now directly owns 2,000 shares of the company's stock, valued at $322,260. The trade was a ∞ increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. 0.96% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Leidos

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Rakuten Securities Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Leidos by 1,460.0% in the 3rd quarter. Rakuten Securities Inc. now owns 156 shares of the aerospace company's stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 146 shares during the last quarter. Marshall & Sterling Wealth Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Leidos during the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. Duncker Streett & Co. Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Leidos during the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC acquired a new position in shares of Leidos in the third quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Finally, Berbice Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Leidos in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.12% of the company's stock.

Leidos Company Profile

Leidos Holdings, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides services and solutions in the defense, intelligence, civil, and health markets in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Defense Solutions, Civil, and Health segments. The Defense Solutions segment offers national security solutions and systems for air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace for the U.S.