Autoliv (NYSE:ALV) Cut to “Hold” at StockNews.com

StockNews.com lowered shares of Autoliv (NYSE:ALV) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note released on Thursday.

Other equities research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Cowen began coverage on shares of Autoliv in a research note on Thursday, March 6th. They issued a “buy” rating for the company. HSBC lowered Autoliv from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $109.00 to $100.00 in a report on Tuesday, February 4th. TD Cowen initiated coverage on Autoliv in a report on Friday, March 7th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $116.00 target price for the company. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on Autoliv from $101.00 to $97.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, December 16th. Finally, Pareto Securities cut shares of Autoliv to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $117.14.

Autoliv Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE ALV opened at $80.82 on Thursday. Autoliv has a one year low of $78.00 and a one year high of $129.38. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $94.16 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $95.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 0.96 and a quick ratio of 0.71. The company has a market capitalization of $6.26 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.02, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.73 and a beta of 1.59.

Autoliv (NYSE:ALV) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 31st. The auto parts company reported $3.05 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.84 by $0.21. Autoliv had a return on equity of 28.62% and a net margin of 6.21%. Analysts anticipate that Autoliv will post 9.51 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Autoliv Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 24th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 7th were issued a dividend of $0.70 per share. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.46%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 7th. Autoliv’s payout ratio is presently 34.70%.

Insider Activity at Autoliv

In other news, insider Magnus Jarlegren sold 1,289 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.83, for a total value of $127,391.87. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 6,142 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $607,013.86. This represents a 17.35 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Per Jonas Jademyr sold 401 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $98.85, for a total value of $39,638.85. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 685 shares in the company, valued at approximately $67,712.25. This represents a 36.92 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 9,253 shares of company stock worth $915,534. 0.24% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Autoliv

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Jefferies Financial Group Inc. acquired a new stake in Autoliv during the 4th quarter valued at $2,550,000. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio acquired a new position in Autoliv during the 4th quarter worth about $165,000. Two Sigma Advisers LP lifted its position in Autoliv by 2.5% during the 4th quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP now owns 44,600 shares of the auto parts company’s stock worth $4,183,000 after buying an additional 1,100 shares in the last quarter. Silvercrest Asset Management Group LLC grew its holdings in Autoliv by 1.3% during the 4th quarter. Silvercrest Asset Management Group LLC now owns 61,398 shares of the auto parts company’s stock worth $5,759,000 after acquiring an additional 800 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada raised its stake in shares of Autoliv by 10.9% in the fourth quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 144,844 shares of the auto parts company’s stock worth $13,584,000 after acquiring an additional 14,180 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 69.57% of the company’s stock.

Autoliv Company Profile

Autoliv, Inc, through its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and supplies passive safety systems to the automotive industry in Europe, the Americas, China, Japan, and rest of Asia. It offers passive safety systems, including modules and components for frontal-impact airbag protection systems, side-impact airbag protection systems, seatbelts, steering wheels, and inflator technologies.