Essentra (LON:ESNT) Sets New 12-Month Low – Should You Sell?

Shares of Essentra plc (LON:ESNT) reached a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as GBX 80.50 and last traded at GBX 80.90, with a volume of 628482 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at GBX 81.40.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on ESNT shares. Berenberg Bank reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a GBX 160 price target on shares of Essentra in a research report on Thursday, March 19th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their price target on shares of Essentra from GBX 150 to GBX 100 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 13th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a GBX 130 price target on shares of Essentra in a research note on Wednesday, April 15th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada cut their price target on Essentra to GBX 130 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, March 18th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of GBX 150.

Essentra Stock Performance

The business’s fifty day moving average is GBX 93.48 and its two-hundred day moving average is GBX 97.65. The company has a quick ratio of 0.50, a current ratio of 2.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 47.67. The stock has a market capitalization of £230.04 million, a PE ratio of 115.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.84 and a beta of 0.90.

Essentra (LON:ESNT) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, March 17th. The company reported GBX 6.10 EPS for the quarter. Essentra had a return on equity of 0.79% and a net margin of 0.70%. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Essentra plc will post 524.137931 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Essentra news, insider Kath Durrant purchased 10,894 shares of Essentra stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 17th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of GBX 91 per share, for a total transaction of £9,913.54. Also, insider Scott Fawcett purchased 17,483 shares of Essentra stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, April 15th. The stock was acquired at an average price of GBX 86 per share, for a total transaction of £15,035.38. In the last three months, insiders have bought 91,194 shares of company stock valued at $8,208,359. Corporate insiders own 0.48% of the company’s stock.

About Essentra

Essentra plc is a leading global provider of essential components and solutions, focusing on the manufacture and distribution of plastic injection moulded, vinyl dip moulded and metal items.

Headquartered in the United Kingdom, Essentra’s global network extends to 28 countries worldwide and includes c.3,000 employees, 14 manufacturing facilities, 26 distribution centres and 37 sales & service centres serving c.64,000 customers with a rapid supply of low cost but essential products for a variety of applications in industries such as equipment manufacturing, automotive, fabrication, electronics, medical and renewable energy.