National Presto Industries (NYSE:NPK) Sees Unusually-High Trading Volume – Still a Buy?

National Presto Industries, Inc. (NYSE:NPK) saw unusually-high trading volume on Friday . Approximately 133,355 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 53% from the previous session’s volume of 87,355 shares.The stock last traded at $137.8550 and had previously closed at $136.42.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have issued reports on NPK. Wall Street Zen raised shares of National Presto Industries from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, March 22nd. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of National Presto Industries in a research report on Monday, December 29th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, National Presto Industries presently has an average rating of “Buy”.

National Presto Industries Stock Performance

The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $130.06 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $115.16. The firm has a market capitalization of $992.73 million, a PE ratio of 29.95 and a beta of 0.49.

National Presto Industries (NYSE:NPK) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, March 13th. The conglomerate reported $2.10 EPS for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $163.97 million for the quarter. National Presto Industries had a return on equity of 8.72% and a net margin of 6.57%.

National Presto Industries Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced an annual dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 20th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 9th were given a dividend of $1.00 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 9th. This represents a yield of 71.0%. National Presto Industries’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 21.60%.

Insider Activity at National Presto Industries

In other news, Director Randy F. Lieble sold 2,417 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $143.97, for a total value of $347,975.49. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 5,222 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $751,811.34. This represents a 31.64% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Corporate insiders own 28.00% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On National Presto Industries

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of NPK. Pullen Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of National Presto Industries during the 3rd quarter worth $1,683,000. Martin & Co. Inc. TN bought a new stake in National Presto Industries during the second quarter valued at about $2,707,000. Walleye Capital LLC purchased a new position in National Presto Industries in the second quarter valued at about $1,643,000. Medina Value Partners LLC raised its holdings in National Presto Industries by 3.9% in the third quarter. Medina Value Partners LLC now owns 208,886 shares of the conglomerate’s stock worth $23,427,000 after purchasing an additional 7,841 shares in the last quarter. Finally, EVR Research LP bought a new position in National Presto Industries in the third quarter worth about $4,598,000. 58.57% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

National Presto Industries Company Profile

National Presto Industries, Inc is an American diversified manufacturer headquartered in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The company operates primarily through three business segments—Housewares/Small Appliances, Defense Products, and Safety—which together supply a range of consumer and industrial markets. Founded in 1905, National Presto Industries has built a reputation for durable, user-friendly products marketed under the Presto and National Presto brands.

In its Housewares/Small Appliances segment, National Presto offers a variety of kitchen products designed to simplify home cooking and meal preparation.