Sensata Technologies (NYSE:ST) Shares Gap Up on Better-Than-Expected Earnings

Sensata Technologies Holding plc (NYSE:ST) shares gapped up prior to trading on Tuesday following a stronger than expected earnings report. The stock had previously closed at $35.76, but opened at $42.82. Sensata Technologies shares last traded at $39.99, with a volume of 3,391,847 shares.

The scientific and technical instruments company reported $0.89 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.86 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $1.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $986.51 million. Sensata Technologies had a positive return on equity of 17.35% and a negative net margin of 0.35%. The firm’s revenue was up .9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.92 earnings per share.

Sensata Technologies Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 22nd. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, May 8th will be given a $0.12 dividend. This represents a $0.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.23%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, May 7th. Sensata Technologies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -436.32%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

ST has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on shares of Sensata Technologies in a research report on Tuesday, April 9th. They set a “hold” rating and a $40.00 target price on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $36.00 price objective (down previously from $44.00) on shares of Sensata Technologies in a report on Tuesday, April 9th. Evercore ISI raised their target price on Sensata Technologies from $36.00 to $44.00 and gave the company an “in-line” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price target on Sensata Technologies from $36.00 to $43.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered Sensata Technologies from a “neutral” rating to an “underweight” rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $37.00 to $34.00 in a research note on Monday, January 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $42.00.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Sensata Technologies

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC lifted its holdings in Sensata Technologies by 1,389.8% in the third quarter. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 730 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 681 shares during the period. Principal Securities Inc. bought a new position in shares of Sensata Technologies in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust increased its stake in shares of Sensata Technologies by 761.2% during the fourth quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 887 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 784 shares during the period. Covestor Ltd raised its holdings in Sensata Technologies by 71.6% during the third quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,249 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 521 shares in the last quarter. Finally, TFO Wealth Partners LLC lifted its position in Sensata Technologies by 17,818.8% in the fourth quarter. TFO Wealth Partners LLC now owns 2,867 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $108,000 after purchasing an additional 2,851 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 99.42% of the company’s stock.

Sensata Technologies Trading Up 1.8 %

The stock has a market capitalization of $5.87 billion, a P/E ratio of -354.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.87 and a beta of 1.37. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $35.28 and a 200-day simple moving average of $34.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13, a quick ratio of 1.69 and a current ratio of 2.55.

About Sensata Technologies

Sensata Technologies Holding plc develops, manufactures, and sells sensors and sensor-rich solutions, electrical protection components and systems, and other products used in mission-critical systems and applications in the United States and internationally. It operates in two segments, Performance Sensing and Sensing Solutions.