Motorola Solutions (NYSE:MSI) Shares Gap Down – Should You Sell?

Motorola Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:MSI)’s stock price gapped down before the market opened on Friday . The stock had previously closed at $439.16, but opened at $417.35. Motorola Solutions shares last traded at $407.13, with a volume of 456,610 shares traded.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on MSI shares. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Motorola Solutions from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 17th. Barclays dropped their price objective on Motorola Solutions from $529.00 to $527.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 14th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on Motorola Solutions from $570.00 to $515.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 17th. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on Motorola Solutions from $495.00 to $505.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, February 14th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $515.25.

Motorola Solutions Trading Down 7.4 %

The firm has a 50-day moving average of $423.19 and a two-hundred day moving average of $454.07. The firm has a market capitalization of $67.91 billion, a P/E ratio of 44.11, a P/E/G ratio of 3.82 and a beta of 0.94. The company has a current ratio of 1.28, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.30.

Motorola Solutions (NYSE:MSI) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, May 1st. The communications equipment provider reported $3.18 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.01 by $0.17. The firm had revenue of $2.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.52 billion. Motorola Solutions had a net margin of 14.58% and a return on equity of 197.59%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.81 earnings per share. On average, analysts anticipate that Motorola Solutions, Inc. will post 13.55 EPS for the current year.

Motorola Solutions Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, April 15th. Investors of record on Friday, March 14th were given a dividend of $1.09 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 14th. This represents a $4.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.07%. Motorola Solutions’s dividend payout ratio is currently 47.29%.

Institutional Trading of Motorola Solutions

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in MSI. Synergy Asset Management LLC bought a new position in Motorola Solutions in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $25,000. ORG Wealth Partners LLC raised its stake in shares of Motorola Solutions by 346.2% during the first quarter. ORG Wealth Partners LLC now owns 58 shares of the communications equipment provider’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. Crews Bank & Trust acquired a new position in shares of Motorola Solutions during the fourth quarter worth $26,000. First Command Advisory Services Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Motorola Solutions in the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Finally, SBI Securities Co. Ltd. bought a new stake in Motorola Solutions in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $30,000. 84.17% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Motorola Solutions Company Profile

Motorola Solutions, Inc provides public safety and enterprise security solutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Products and Systems Integration, and Software and Services. The Products and Systems Integration segment offers a portfolio of infrastructure, devices, accessories, and video security devices and infrastructure, as well as the implementation and integration of systems, devices, software, and applications for government, public safety, and commercial customers who operate private communications networks and video security solutions, as well as manage a mobile workforce.