Ashtead Group (LON:AHT) Stock Price Crosses Above 200 Day Moving Average of $5,438.42

Ashtead Group plc (LON:AHT) passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Friday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of GBX 5,438.42 ($70.34) and traded as high as GBX 5,472 ($70.77). Ashtead Group shares last traded at GBX 5,454 ($70.54), with a volume of 515,106 shares.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms recently commented on AHT. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reduced their target price on Ashtead Group from GBX 6,800 ($87.95) to GBX 6,500 ($84.07) and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, June 24th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a GBX 6,150 ($79.54) price target on shares of Ashtead Group in a research note on Wednesday, June 12th. Finally, Barclays restated an “overweight” rating and issued a GBX 6,600 ($85.36) price objective on shares of Ashtead Group in a report on Wednesday, May 15th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of GBX 4,933.13 ($63.80).

Ashtead Group Trading Up 2.6 %

The stock has a market cap of £23.80 billion, a P/E ratio of 1,874.23, a P/E/G ratio of 1.26 and a beta of 1.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 162.35, a current ratio of 1.36 and a quick ratio of 1.13. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is GBX 5,435.36 and its 200-day moving average price is GBX 5,441.62.

Ashtead Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 8th will be issued a $0.89 dividend. This is a positive change from Ashtead Group’s previous dividend of $0.16. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 8th. This represents a dividend yield of 1.28%. Ashtead Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 2,749.14%.

Insider Activity

In other Ashtead Group news, insider Renata Ribeiro acquired 160 shares of Ashtead Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 1st. The stock was bought at an average cost of GBX 5,273 ($68.20) per share, for a total transaction of £8,436.80 ($10,911.54). In other news, insider Lucinda Riches sold 4,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 5,480 ($70.87), for a total transaction of £219,200 ($283,497.15). Also, insider Renata Ribeiro bought 160 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 1st. The stock was bought at an average price of GBX 5,273 ($68.20) per share, for a total transaction of £8,436.80 ($10,911.54). Corporate insiders own 0.67% of the company’s stock.

Ashtead Group Company Profile

Ashtead Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the construction, industrial, and general equipment rental business in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. It provides pumps, power generation, heating, cooling, scaffolding, traffic management, temporary flooring, trench shoring, and lifting services.