Premier Fund Managers Ltd Invests $942,000 in ESCO Technologies Inc. (NYSE:ESE)

Premier Fund Managers Ltd acquired a new stake in ESCO Technologies Inc. (NYSE:ESE - Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 7,337 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock, valued at approximately $942,000.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Select Equity Group L.P. raised its stake in shares of ESCO Technologies by 277.5% in the second quarter. Select Equity Group L.P. now owns 395,460 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $41,539,000 after purchasing an additional 290,711 shares during the last quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. acquired a new stake in ESCO Technologies during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $15,632,000. F M Investments LLC purchased a new stake in shares of ESCO Technologies in the 2nd quarter valued at $9,455,000. Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH increased its stake in shares of ESCO Technologies by 35.5% in the second quarter. Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH now owns 185,850 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $19,522,000 after acquiring an additional 48,693 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its stake in shares of ESCO Technologies by 18.3% in the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 283,266 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $29,754,000 after acquiring an additional 43,907 shares during the period. 95.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

ESE has been the topic of several recent research reports. Stephens upped their price target on shares of ESCO Technologies from $135.00 to $145.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday, September 27th. StockNews.com upgraded ESCO Technologies from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday. Finally, Benchmark reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $150.00 price target on shares of ESCO Technologies in a research report on Friday, November 15th.

ESCO Technologies Price Performance

Shares of ESE stock traded down $1.41 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $144.84. 26,845 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 126,292. The company has a quick ratio of 1.31, a current ratio of 1.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08. ESCO Technologies Inc. has a 52-week low of $96.69 and a 52-week high of $154.00. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $129.17 and a 200 day moving average of $118.15. The company has a market cap of $3.73 billion, a PE ratio of 37.13 and a beta of 1.08.

ESCO Technologies Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 17th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, January 2nd will be given a $0.08 dividend. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.22%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 2nd. ESCO Technologies's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 8.12%.

ESCO Technologies 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.