Hager Investment Management Services LLC Takes Position in General Dynamics Co. (NYSE:GD)

Hager Investment Management Services LLC acquired a new stake in General Dynamics Co. (NYSE:GD) in the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm acquired 722 shares of the aerospace company’s stock, valued at approximately $190,000.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Stratos Investment Management LLC raised its position in shares of General Dynamics by 93.2% in the fourth quarter. Stratos Investment Management LLC now owns 17,732 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $4,672,000 after buying an additional 8,554 shares during the last quarter. Stratos Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of General Dynamics by 6.5% in the fourth quarter. Stratos Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,237 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $326,000 after buying an additional 76 shares during the last quarter. Guidance Capital Inc. raised its position in shares of General Dynamics by 14.4% in the fourth quarter. Guidance Capital Inc. now owns 3,248 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $865,000 after buying an additional 408 shares during the last quarter. 1858 Wealth Management LLC increased its position in General Dynamics by 3.5% during the fourth quarter. 1858 Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,186 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $839,000 after purchasing an additional 108 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Welch Group LLC increased its position in General Dynamics by 8.5% during the fourth quarter. Welch Group LLC now owns 2,027 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $534,000 after purchasing an additional 159 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.14% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other General Dynamics news, VP Christopher J. Brady sold 5,540 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $280.91, for a total value of $1,556,241.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 20,296 shares in the company, valued at $5,701,349.36. This trade represents a 21.44 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, Director Laura J. Schumacher sold 1,796 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $255.68, for a total transaction of $459,201.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 11,175 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,857,224. The trade was a 13.85 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 1.60% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts recently commented on GD shares. Barclays dropped their price target on shares of General Dynamics from $305.00 to $285.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday. Baird R W lowered shares of General Dynamics from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 14th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on shares of General Dynamics from $279.00 to $276.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Robert W. Baird reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $283.00 price target (down previously from $345.00) on shares of General Dynamics in a research report on Tuesday, January 14th. Finally, TD Cowen dropped their price target on shares of General Dynamics from $315.00 to $295.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 28th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have given a hold rating, eight have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, General Dynamics currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $300.06.

General Dynamics Stock Up 0.4 %

Shares of NYSE:GD opened at $257.64 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $70.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.89, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.46 and a beta of 0.61. General Dynamics Co. has a 1-year low of $247.01 and a 1-year high of $316.90. The company’s fifty day moving average is $266.56 and its two-hundred day moving average is $286.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 1.37.

General Dynamics (NYSE:GD) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The aerospace company reported $4.15 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.29 by ($0.14). General Dynamics had a return on equity of 17.10% and a net margin of 7.93%. Equities analysts anticipate that General Dynamics Co. will post 14.88 EPS for the current year.

General Dynamics declared that its Board of Directors has approved a stock repurchase program on Wednesday, December 4th that permits the company to repurchase 10,000,000 shares. This repurchase authorization permits the aerospace company to purchase shares of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are usually an indication that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

General Dynamics Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 7th. Investors of record on Friday, January 17th will be issued a $1.42 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 17th. This represents a $5.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.20%. General Dynamics’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 41.64%.

General Dynamics Profile

General Dynamics Corporation operates as an aerospace and defense company worldwide. It operates through four segments: Aerospace, Marine Systems, Combat Systems, and Technologies. The Aerospace segment produces and sells business jets; and offers aircraft maintenance and repair, management, aircraft-on-ground support and completion, charter, staffing, and fixed-base operator services.