Short Interest in Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:KEYS) Drops By 12.2%

Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:KEYS) was the target of a large decline in short interest during the month of August. As of August 31st, there was short interest totalling 2,160,000 shares, a decline of 12.2% from the August 15th total of 2,460,000 shares. Currently, 1.3% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 1,250,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 1.7 days.

Keysight Technologies Trading Down 0.2 %

Shares of Keysight Technologies stock traded down $0.28 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $150.21. The stock had a trading volume of 600,031 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,216,184. The company has a current ratio of 2.05, a quick ratio of 1.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23. Keysight Technologies has a 1 year low of $118.57 and a 1 year high of $162.51. The firm has a market capitalization of $26.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.79, a P/E/G ratio of 5.03 and a beta of 0.97. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $141.06 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $144.82.

Keysight Technologies (NYSE:KEYS) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 20th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.57 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.35 by $0.22. Keysight Technologies had a net margin of 18.24% and a return on equity of 21.01%. The firm had revenue of $1.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.19 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.04 earnings per share. Keysight Technologies’s revenue for the quarter was down 11.9% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Keysight Technologies will post 5.35 earnings per share for the current year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on KEYS shares. Susquehanna cut their price objective on shares of Keysight Technologies from $195.00 to $185.00 and set a “positive” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, August 21st. Barclays increased their price target on Keysight Technologies from $141.00 to $151.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on Keysight Technologies from $155.00 to $165.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 21st. Robert W. Baird reduced their target price on Keysight Technologies from $167.00 to $160.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, August 19th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price target on Keysight Technologies from $163.00 to $175.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, August 26th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $167.67.

Insider Transactions at Keysight Technologies

In other news, Director Richard P. Hamada sold 1,632 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $156.00, for a total value of $254,592.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 42,160 shares in the company, valued at $6,576,960. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.60% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Keysight Technologies

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Brown Shipley& Co Ltd raised its position in Keysight Technologies by 1.0% in the fourth quarter. Brown Shipley& Co Ltd now owns 6,452 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $1,026,000 after purchasing an additional 67 shares during the period. Park Avenue Securities LLC grew its stake in shares of Keysight Technologies by 0.9% in the first quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC now owns 7,830 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $1,224,000 after buying an additional 71 shares in the last quarter. Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Keysight Technologies by 0.6% during the 2nd quarter. Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc. now owns 12,700 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $1,737,000 after buying an additional 73 shares during the period. Wedmont Private Capital lifted its position in Keysight Technologies by 2.8% during the 2nd quarter. Wedmont Private Capital now owns 2,754 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $391,000 after acquiring an additional 74 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Diversified LLC boosted its holdings in Keysight Technologies by 3.6% in the 2nd quarter. Diversified LLC now owns 2,259 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $309,000 after acquiring an additional 78 shares during the period. 84.58% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Keysight Technologies

Keysight Technologies, Inc provides electronic design and test solutions to commercial communications, networking, aerospace, defense and government, automotive, energy, semiconductor, electronic, and education industries in the Americas, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates in two segments, Communications Solutions Group and Electronic Industrial Solutions Group.