Smiths Group (LON:SMIN) Stock Passes Above Two Hundred Day Moving Average – Time to Sell?

Smiths Group plc (LON:SMIN) shares passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of GBX 2,379.61 and traded as high as GBX 2,476. Smiths Group shares last traded at GBX 2,460, with a volume of 1,205,741 shares trading hands.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

SMIN has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of Smiths Group from GBX 2,820 to GBX 2,950 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, December 4th. Berenberg Bank reiterated a “hold” rating and set a GBX 2,750 price target on shares of Smiths Group in a research report on Friday, November 28th. Finally, Panmure Gordon reissued a “buy” rating and set a GBX 2,870 price target on shares of Smiths Group in a research note on Thursday, November 20th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of GBX 2,856.67.

Smiths Group Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.55, a quick ratio of 1.29 and a current ratio of 2.07. The stock has a market capitalization of £7.91 billion, a PE ratio of 29.21, a P/E/G ratio of 0.35 and a beta of 0.66. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is GBX 2,417.46 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is GBX 2,379.61.

Smiths Group declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock buyback program on Wednesday, November 19th that authorizes the company to buyback 0 shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the company to purchase shares of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are generally a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Karin Hoeing acquired 224 shares of Smiths Group stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 3rd. The shares were acquired at an average cost of GBX 2,522 per share, for a total transaction of £5,649.28. Also, insider Richard Howes bought 70 shares of Smiths Group stock in a transaction on Monday, November 3rd. The stock was purchased at an average price of GBX 2,522 per share, for a total transaction of £1,765.40. 0.78% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Smiths Group Company Profile

Smiths Group plc operates as an industrial engineering company in Americas, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. It operates through four businesses: John Crane, Smiths Detection, Flex-Tek, and Smiths Interconnect. The John Crane business engineers mechanical seals, seal support systems, power transmission couplings, and specialized filtration systems. The Smiths Detection business provides sensors and systems that detect and identify explosives, narcotics, weapons, chemical agents, biohazards, and contraband.