Hexcel (NYSE:HXL) Lowered to “Hold” Rating by StockNews.com

StockNews.com lowered shares of Hexcel (NYSE:HXL) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report released on Friday morning.

HXL has been the topic of a number of other reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their target price on Hexcel from $63.00 to $60.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Truist Financial lifted their target price on Hexcel from $76.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. TD Cowen upgraded Hexcel to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, February 24th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on Hexcel from $81.00 to $87.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on Hexcel from $74.00 to $82.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $73.09.

Hexcel Price Performance

HXL opened at $58.30 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 2.21 and a quick ratio of 1.20. The company has a market capitalization of $4.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.67, a P/E/G ratio of 1.72 and a beta of 1.30. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $64.56 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $62.76. Hexcel has a 1 year low of $56.85 and a 1 year high of $77.08.

Hexcel (NYSE:HXL) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 22nd. The aerospace company reported $0.52 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.52. Hexcel had a net margin of 6.94% and a return on equity of 10.66%. As a group, analysts anticipate that Hexcel will post 2.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hexcel Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 7th were issued a dividend of $0.17 per share. This represents a $0.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.17%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 7th. This is a positive change from Hexcel’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.15. Hexcel’s payout ratio is presently 42.77%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in HXL. State of Alaska Department of Revenue grew its holdings in Hexcel by 3.7% during the 3rd quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 9,492 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $586,000 after buying an additional 340 shares in the last quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC grew its holdings in Hexcel by 5.6% during the 3rd quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 43,279 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $2,676,000 after buying an additional 2,287 shares in the last quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp grew its holdings in Hexcel by 52.4% during the 3rd quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 8,081 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $507,000 after buying an additional 2,780 shares in the last quarter. Capital Performance Advisors LLP purchased a new position in Hexcel during the 3rd quarter valued at about $56,000. Finally, Assetmark Inc. grew its holdings in Hexcel by 18.0% during the 3rd quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 2,462 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $152,000 after buying an additional 375 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 95.47% of the company’s stock.

Hexcel Company Profile

Hexcel Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets carbon fibers, structural reinforcements, honeycomb structures, resins, and composite materials and parts for use in commercial aerospace, space and defense, and industrial applications. It operates through two segments, Composite Materials and Engineered Products.