Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:AEIS) Shares Sold by QRG Capital Management Inc.

QRG Capital Management Inc. decreased its position in shares of Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:AEIS) by 3.3% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 5,267 shares of the electronics maker’s stock after selling 178 shares during the period. QRG Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Advanced Energy Industries were worth $609,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. acquired a new position in Advanced Energy Industries during the third quarter worth $12,306,000. Principal Financial Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Advanced Energy Industries by 12.4% during the 3rd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 483,848 shares of the electronics maker’s stock worth $50,920,000 after buying an additional 53,566 shares during the last quarter. Sora Investors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Advanced Energy Industries in the 3rd quarter worth about $4,736,000. Proficio Capital Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Advanced Energy Industries in the 4th quarter worth about $3,971,000. Finally, Southernsun Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in Advanced Energy Industries in the 3rd quarter valued at about $3,575,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 99.67% of the company’s stock.

Advanced Energy Industries Price Performance

AEIS stock opened at $107.09 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 74.89, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.39 and a beta of 1.45. The company has a quick ratio of 3.27, a current ratio of 4.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47. Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. has a 52-week low of $89.12 and a 52-week high of $132.16. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $118.48 and its 200-day simple moving average is $112.25.

Advanced Energy Industries (NASDAQ:AEIS) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The electronics maker reported $1.06 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.09 by ($0.03). Advanced Energy Industries had a return on equity of 8.90% and a net margin of 3.66%. Equities research analysts expect that Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. will post 3.66 EPS for the current year.

Advanced Energy Industries Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 7th. Investors of record on Monday, February 24th will be issued a $0.10 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, February 24th. This represents a $0.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.37%. Advanced Energy Industries’s payout ratio is 27.97%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the stock. Needham & Company LLC restated a “buy” rating and set a $145.00 target price on shares of Advanced Energy Industries in a research report on Thursday, February 13th. Bank of America upgraded Advanced Energy Industries from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $140.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Monday, December 16th. Benchmark reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $125.00 target price on shares of Advanced Energy Industries in a report on Wednesday, November 20th. Robert W. Baird cut their price target on Advanced Energy Industries from $138.00 to $136.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, February 13th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on Advanced Energy Industries from $115.00 to $110.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, February 13th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $126.56.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Advanced Energy Industries news, Director Lanesha Minnix sold 1,600 shares of Advanced Energy Industries stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $129.37, for a total value of $206,992.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 3,492 shares in the company, valued at $451,760.04. This trade represents a 31.42 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 2.00% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

About Advanced Energy Industries

Advanced Energy Industries, Inc provides precision power conversion, measurement, and control solutions in the United States and internationally. The company's plasma power products offer solutions to enable innovation for semiconductor and thin film plasma processes, such as dry etch and deposition.