Keysight Technologies (NYSE:KEYS) Raised to “Buy” at StockNews.com

StockNews.com upgraded shares of Keysight Technologies (NYSE:KEYS) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note issued to investors on Friday.

Other research analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Keysight Technologies from $155.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 21st. Vertical Research began coverage on Keysight Technologies in a research report on Tuesday, July 23rd. They set a “buy” rating and a $175.00 target price for the company. Bank of America boosted their price target on shares of Keysight Technologies from $135.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock an “underperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 21st. Susquehanna dropped their price objective on shares of Keysight Technologies from $195.00 to $185.00 and set a “positive” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, August 21st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $180.00 price objective on shares of Keysight Technologies in a research note on Wednesday, August 21st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $170.89.

Keysight Technologies Stock Down 2.8 %

Shares of NYSE:KEYS traded down $4.31 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $149.37. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 1,282,196 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,174,195. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $155.17 and a 200-day moving average of $145.92. The firm has a market capitalization of $25.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.73, a PEG ratio of 4.65 and a beta of 0.98. Keysight Technologies has a 12-month low of $119.72 and a 12-month high of $166.28. The company has a quick ratio of 1.52, a current ratio of 2.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23.

Keysight Technologies (NYSE:KEYS) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 20th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.57 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.35 by $0.22. Keysight Technologies had a net margin of 18.24% and a return on equity of 21.01%. The company had revenue of $1.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.19 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $2.04 EPS. Keysight Technologies’s revenue was down 11.9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts anticipate that Keysight Technologies will post 5.43 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Richard P. Hamada sold 1,632 shares of Keysight Technologies stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $156.00, for a total transaction of $254,592.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 42,160 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,576,960. This trade represents a 3.73 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Insiders own 0.60% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Meeder Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Keysight Technologies during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Truvestments Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Keysight Technologies in the third quarter worth about $28,000. Erste Asset Management GmbH purchased a new position in shares of Keysight Technologies during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Family Firm Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Keysight Technologies in the second quarter worth about $30,000. Finally, American National Bank & Trust purchased a new stake in shares of Keysight Technologies during the 3rd quarter worth about $31,000. 84.58% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Keysight Technologies

Keysight Technologies, Inc provides electronic design and test solutions to commercial communications, networking, aerospace, defense and government, automotive, energy, semiconductor, electronic, and education industries in the Americas, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates in two segments, Communications Solutions Group and Electronic Industrial Solutions Group.