Brokerages Set Centrica plc (LON:CNA) Target Price at GBX 171.25

Centrica plc (LON:CNA) has earned a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the six brokerages that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month target price among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is GBX 171.25 ($2.26).

Several equities analysts have commented on CNA shares. Berenberg Bank raised shares of Centrica to a “buy” rating and increased their target price for the stock from GBX 130 ($1.72) to GBX 155 ($2.05) in a research report on Friday, June 28th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued an “overweight” rating on shares of Centrica in a report on Friday, July 5th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada upgraded Centrica to an “outperform” rating and boosted their target price for the stock from GBX 145 ($1.92) to GBX 170 ($2.25) in a report on Friday, May 31st.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Centrica news, insider Kevin O’Byrne purchased 110,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, July 26th. The shares were bought at an average cost of GBX 131 ($1.73) per share, with a total value of £144,100 ($190,356.67). In other news, insider Philippe Boisseau acquired 1,163 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 25th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of GBX 139 ($1.84) per share, for a total transaction of £1,616.57 ($2,135.50). Also, insider Kevin O’Byrne purchased 110,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, July 26th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of GBX 131 ($1.73) per share, for a total transaction of £144,100 ($190,356.67). In the last 90 days, insiders acquired 112,951 shares of company stock valued at $14,800,018. Insiders own 0.22% of the company’s stock.

Centrica Stock Performance

Shares of CNA opened at GBX 118 ($1.56) on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of £6.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 532.50, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.45 and a beta of 1.08. The company’s fifty day moving average is GBX 130.25 and its 200-day moving average is GBX 131.90. The company has a quick ratio of 0.40, a current ratio of 1.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 61.65. Centrica has a 12 month low of GBX 116.15 ($1.53) and a 12 month high of GBX 173.70 ($2.29).

Centrica Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, November 14th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, October 3rd will be paid a GBX 1.50 ($0.02) dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, October 3rd. This represents a dividend yield of 1.05%. Centrica’s payout ratio is presently 1,818.18%.

Centrica Company Profile

Centrica plc operates as an integrated energy company in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Scandinavia, North America, and internationally. The company operates through British Gas Services & Solutions, British Gas Energy, Centrica Business Solutions, Bord Gáis Energy, Centrica Energy, and Upstream segments.