Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Co. (NYSE:WAB) Given Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Co. (NYSE:WAB) has been assigned a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the six ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price objective among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $206.33.

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on WAB shares. Stephens reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $220.00 price target on shares of Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies in a research report on Thursday, February 13th. Bank of America increased their price objective on Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies from $225.00 to $226.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 15th. Finally, KeyCorp increased their price objective on Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies from $200.00 to $220.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 13th.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Bridges Investment Management Inc. increased its position in shares of Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies by 3.4% in the third quarter. Bridges Investment Management Inc. now owns 2,357 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $428,000 after purchasing an additional 77 shares during the period. B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. Holding AG acquired a new stake in shares of Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies during the third quarter valued at about $7,128,000. Camden National Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies during the third quarter valued at about $222,000. Harvest Fund Management Co. Ltd boosted its stake in shares of Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies by 10.4% during the third quarter. Harvest Fund Management Co. Ltd now owns 1,820 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $331,000 after purchasing an additional 172 shares in the last quarter. Finally, BNP Paribas Financial Markets boosted its stake in shares of Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies by 5.2% during the third quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 278,729 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $50,665,000 after purchasing an additional 13,683 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 91.69% of the company’s stock.

Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Price Performance

Shares of WAB opened at $183.00 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a current ratio of 1.30. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $196.48 and a 200 day simple moving average of $188.27. Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies has a 52-week low of $136.64 and a 52-week high of $210.88. The firm has a market capitalization of $31.27 billion, a PE ratio of 30.35, a P/E/G ratio of 1.50 and a beta of 1.27.

Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies (NYSE:WAB) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 12th. The transportation company reported $1.68 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.74 by ($0.06). Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies had a net margin of 10.17% and a return on equity of 12.78%. Sell-side analysts predict that Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies will post 8.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 21st will be given a dividend of $0.25 per share. This is a boost from Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.20. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 21st. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.55%. Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 16.58%.

About Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies

Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides technology-based locomotives, equipment, systems, and services for the freight rail and passenger transit industries worldwide. It offers diesel-electric, battery, and liquid natural gas-powered locomotives; engines, electric motors, and propulsion systems; and marine and mining products.